


Daddy's Little Devil

by PrincessChaos



Category: no-fandom
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Love, Mates, Werewolves, daughter - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 10:29:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 49,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11400720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessChaos/pseuds/PrincessChaos
Summary: Hell is the only home Dawn had ever known- and she wouldn't have it any other way.Dawn is a pure-blood demon, born and raised in the pits of Hell, she has the emotional capability of a rock- and just about the same amount of humanity as one.But then again isn't that the whole point of humanity? Feelings, emotions and guilt are just human things.It makes them weak- and according to her father, all totally disposable.As Lucifer's only heir and Hell's most prized possession, that's what she's always been taught. Though Dawn could only ever imagine what's it really like up on the surface, not that she’d ever be allowed out.Apart from bring permanently grounded, Dawn is living the dream in Hell. Her daddy is the king of Hell, and her best friend is the king's deadliest warrior. It’s perfect.Ever since she was little, Dawn would always heard stories from the souls that are sent down, about how magnificent the Earth is. For once in her life, she just wanted to go and see the world, travel the surface and see what the fuss is all about.But time is running out on her, so not having many options left, Dawn grabs her best friend and runs away.Werewolf AU.





	1. # D A W N #

**Author's Note:**

> Werewolf AU. Don't like don't read- no hate :)
> 
>  
> 
> D A W N
> 
>  
> 
> There was an old saying about how dawn came just after the darkest part of the night.
> 
> But now there is no more light when dawn breaks, so I enact my blood-filled judgement in the dead of night.
> 
>  
> 
> .

  
  
**D A W N**  
  


**There was an old saying** **about how** **_dawn_ ** **came just after the darkest** **part of the night.**

**But now there is** **no more** **light when** **_dawn_ ** **breaks, so I enact** **my blood** **-filled judgement** **in the dead of night.**  
  
  
  
  



	2. # Chapter 1 #

** DAWN: **   
  
  


"Shut up Damien"

"Princess, all I'm saying is that if you'd planned this whole thing better then maybe we wouldn't-"

"And all I'm saying is shut up! You're not helping, and besides you're the one who decided that you should tag along 'cause Hell's too boring for you."

"I never said that!"

"You said that you had nothing better to do anyways, 'cause apparently, torturing souls isn't exciting enough."

"Yeah well, someone had to make sure you didn't get yourself killed out here."

"I'm immortal, have been trained for longer than I could walk, and the princess of Hell. Practically nothing could kill me." I raised my eyebrows at him "you're gonna have to do better than that."

He just mumbled something that kind of sounded like demons girls and PMS-ing.

We've been walking for a while now, I'm not sure how long- time is different in Hell then it is on earth- it could be have been minutes, or hours, or days, I've lost all sense of time a while ago.

My feet aren't tired yet, so I guess that's a good sign, but then again that doesn't really say much; I don't really feel much of anything to begin with and adding to that the way I grew up, with all those hours of training for longer than I could remember- with my perfect memory- I'd be surprised if I did get to a point where my feet  _actually_ aches.

Though I wish I could say the same for Damien- he looks just about ready to murder someone.

Preferably me.

Though I have half a mind thinking he's not really that miserable and only really complaining for the hell of it.

Then again my dad would probably eat him alive if he ever got a whiff of any of this.

Speaking of my dad- I wonder if he found out I'm gone yet or if he's worried or angry or-

"Well this place is hideous, I don't see what the big the fuss was all about, so far earth is the ugliest place I've ever seen, and I grew up in Hell."

"We only just got here Dae, keep an open mind." I said in irritation.

Damien picked up a handful of whatever-it-is that we're walking on at the moment from the ground and looked at it with distaste- it's pale-ish yellow in color and is incredibly thin and slimy, so it easily slipped through his fingers.

I just shrugged my shoulders in response.

"What is this awful smell anyways?" I scrunched my nose as I sniffed the sky.

"I think it smells kind of like salt... You know? Like that stuff your dad showed us that nearly burnt my hand off?"

"Stop being such a drama queen, Dae."

"I'm not! I swear I felt like it was burning though my bones."

"Right. Whatever you say."

"Why does the air smells like this anyways? I swear this planet is toxic."

"Yeah well, we're not dead yet so... That has to count for something right?" I sent him a cheeky smile.

Damien just locked his eyes on me and made this inhuman noise at the back of his throat like all the air has been sucked out of him. Creepy much.

"Dae? You alive there? Did you just swallow one of those annoying, tiny flying things?" Furring my eyebrows, I looked at him strangely

"No, I-" he cleared his throat "I'm uh, I'm fine little one, don't worry about it."

"I told you to stop calling me that years ago!"

"Sorry I just can't hear you over this weird swishing water sound!" He sent me a naughty grin, making his unnatural looking black eyes sparkle.

"Ugh! I hate you!" I smacked him as hard as I could on his chest. He didn't even chuckle.

He did catch my arm though, and before I had any time to digest what's going on he quickly pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly and caging me in his muscular body, making my breath catch in my throat.

I bit my lip looking up into his eyes- 'cause he is just a ridiculously tall freak.

"Nah, no you don't" He said, smiling at me. His smile always left me memorized.

What were we talking about again?

"Princess?" Oh, right. I hate him.

I pushed out of his arms, making sure to discreetly feel his abs in the process, and whipped off any trace of lust from my face.

I should not be lusting after my brother.

Well we're not really siblings, not by blood anyways, but we might as well be with the way we grew up together.

We've always been there for each other and I know everything there is to know about him, I'm pretty sure he knows me better than anyone else in the universe, even better then I know myself.

He is my best friend, my protector, I'd do anything for him. He's family.

So basically he is practically my older brother.

He elbowed my ribs, probably because I wasn't paying any attention to him right now.   
I yelped when it sent painful shockwaves through my body.

All of my senses are incredibly heightened because of my DNA and inheritege so my body is extremely hypersensitive to any form of touch or contact, human or otherwise. Heightened senses are a blessing and a curse.   
" _Perks_ " of being the devil's daughter I suppose.

And Damien knows this perfectly well- about my super-senses and hypersensitivity. It never seems to matter though.

I turned to glare at him, hitting his forearm as well.

"Jerk" I spat at him.

"Bitch" He said on reflex, smiling at me.

************************

I remember my dad telling me once that if I ever were to go to earth, then I would have to blend in with the mortals, he said that the humans aren't very smart- they fear those who are not like them, and so they try to attack them and control them- even if the humans physically cannot- they will still try, because that's their nature.

He said it was best to avoid those kind of situations all together- that we did not need to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves, because the risk of humans finding out what we are is greater like that.

So we have to blend in with the humans, we cannot afford to stand out right now.

Damien said he got this part covered, that he would take care of it for both of us- take care of  _me_.

That's why he went over into the nearest building- it was showcasing clothing in the front, and there were other humans looking through the clothes and walking around the place.

It says  _Veronica's_  in big bold letters above the door, I'm not quite sure what the name has to do with anything- but then again I never understood the human nature.

He grabbed some of the first cloths he could find and was in and out in a flash.

"Here" He said, handing me the bundle of fabrics in his hands "wear this, it'll help keep you safe". He murmured softly in my ear.

I took the cloths from his hand, holding it in both of my own- which seem so much smaller comparing to his large ones.

Looking down at it- I could make out the colors blue and pink peeping through the fabrics.

"Thanks Dae" Looking into his eyes, I sent him a grateful smile.

The entire place was pretty deserted, that same odd colored ground seemed to stretch over for miles, and it made me wonder if all of earth's surface looks this strange, or is it just the part we landed on?

Seeming as there were only a handful of humans around, littered all around the place- so it wasn't very difficult finding an isolated corner to change.

There was a cliff a little while forward from where we were standing, it was far away enough so that no human will be able to spot us, and it was becoming a bit bushy if you kept walking in that specific direction- so that served a bit more as a cover up as we walked towards the cliff.

When we got there, Damien insisted on standing on the side closer to the humans while we change, so he was completely blocking my whole figure from anyone's view- even though there is no way they could possibly see us from such a distance, apparently he refused to take any chances.

I didn't even bother turning my back to him as I stripped and put on the dress he grabbed for me, seeing as Damien and I practically grew up together, we have seen each other naked plenty of times, so it's never an issue when it comes to us- though I still felt Damien's eyes burning holes in me the whole time.

And by the time I turned back around, Damien was already changed as well.

I quickly gave him an once-over.   
His midnight black hair was messy and was sticking in every direction from the impact of going through the portal and landing ( _ungraciously in a super funny way_ ) on earth.

Damien had black eyes - just like all the rest of the demons - except for the royal bloods.

_So much for not catching too much unwanted attention then..._

He eyes seem to have that familiar glint in the them that told me he was up to trouble, which made his already vary pale skin look very much paler as he was hovering over me and standing tall at his 6'1 over my  _barely_ 5'3.

Damien was wearing a dark red shirt and a leather - _I think it's called_ \- jacket from that human's place.

"Like what you see princess?" He asked me with a smug little smirk on his face.

It took me a little while to understand what's going on and to snap back to reality.

I felt like slapping his smirk off. Preferably along with the rest of his face.

"Nah, I've seen way better... You're not that special Dae."  
He dropped the smirk pretty fast after that.

******************

We decided that our best option is to keep moving- preferably further away from the toxic smell of salt- and so by Dae's orders we were walking deeper in the direction of the plants now, and every time we would hear any kind of noise from the trees- which are becoming thicker and thicker as we walk on- he would immediately get on high alert and would step out between the noise and me, his eyes would scan the woods for any movement and his fingers would twitch for a weapon to hold- he's have this routine for every single time.

Eventually he got fed up, and at some point he decided to just grab my waist tightly and walk on like that- of course I didn't object, I know how hard this is on him too, years ago he had sworn to protect me with his life- to protect the princess of Hell- and this is his first time on earth as well.

Neither of us know exactly what the dangers are around here and how to face it, though I'm pretty sure anything will probably die if you rip its heart out and get rid of the head. Just saying.

And so we walked like that for quite some time.   
Him holding my waist, and rubbing soothing circles on my sides- just like he used to do when I was younger to calm me down.

Though I'm not sure who he's trying to sooth- me or himself.

He was holding me like I was going to disappear any second now, and I rested my head on his shoulder every once in a while- as much as I could reach it anyways.

"Dae?" I asked softly.

He tightened his arm around me, as if he could sense my mood- knowing him he probably could- if anyone would be able to, it's defiantly him.

"Yeah, little one?" He breathed quietly, talking directly to my ear.

"I already kinda miss home... Is that bad?" I looked up at him under my lashes and his hand on me just seemed to get even tighter, if that was even possible.

"No, of course it's not princess, it's the only place you ever knew, it's only natural for you to feel like that, besides- you got  _me_ , and I'm never leaving your side, not even for a second. Don't worry you pretty little head about it- I got you princess, I'll take care of you."

I suddenly felt extremely exhausted- emotionally tired.   
Like this day have just been way too much for me to handle.   
 _I was so tired I didn't even comment on how he called my head little._

"Do you promise Dae?"

"I promise."

My head started dropping so I rested my head on his shoulder, and then my eyelids became really heavy as well- and started to close on their own.

Damien immediately noticed this and scoped me up in his arms like I weighted nothing- to him perhaps I did- he was letting me rest me rest my head on his chest, it wasn't the most comfortable but I still blacked out in a matter of seconds.

I dreamt of home.

Some call it Hell, others call it the Underworld, or Satan's Kingdom; but it really isn't as bad as they all make it out to be- I should know more than anyone, I grew up there.

Heaven exists too, but those Angels are nothing more than lying back-stabbing losers who can't even fight their own battles, always sending others to do their dirty work for them.

_Apparently there has been a rivalry between us for millenniums now, they hate us- we loath them. It's a two way straight._

As higher level demons like Damien and I (according to our bloodlines), we are expected to despise every angel breathing just because my dad had a fight with my grandfather all those millennia of years ago.

My father's name is Lucifer- King of Hell, which makes my grandfather God; when dad disobeyed grandfather's orders he started the  _war of Heaven_ \- between those who supported my father and those who were against him.   
Eventually my dad was kicked out of Heaven and thrown into Hell for eternity, he became the first Fallen Angel and the creator of all demons- although I am still his only biological child, ( _My birth only included my father's DNA and a shitload of black magic, I never even wanted to know the details_ ) which by default makes me the princess and next in line for the thrown.

Hell has been my only home for as long as I could remember and I couldn't be any prouder to rule over it once my 680 birthday's comes up- about 17 in human years give or take- and that's when I'm destined to take over the kingdom.

But the only downside is that once I do that I'll be tied down with work all the time, locked up inside the gates for  _eternity_.

So really I never had a choice but to run away before that could happen- I'm not entirely sure why Dae tagged along even if he is practically my brother- I mean we both love home and he wouldn't be the one practically grounded for eternity.

But we do plan on returning back home just in time for my coronation.

It has always been a dream of mine to see the world beyond the gates and roam the lands of Earth even if I have hardly ever even been outside the castle.

My dad didn't like me ever leaving the safety of our palace grounds, let alone outside of Hell in the big open world- but I don't care,  _I'm a big demon now- I can take care of myself._

All he wanted was a heir so there is someone to take over the kingdom after he steps down; but they say that as soon as he laid his eyes on me for the first time he treated me like the princess I was born to be and always got me anything I wanted- I suppose it was a surprise for all of us.

He looked at me like I was his whole world ever since I could remember, me being almost 640 years old- makes this almost 640 years now.

They say it's the first time he ever felt anything near emotions, let alone love.   
 _And I couldn't be any prouder calling him my dad._

Since all of my genes came from my dad I'm almost a complete replica of him.

We have the same white- blonde strait hair and freezing blue eyes that as Damien told me " _bore into your soul_ ".  
Jokes on him, he doesn't have one.

We have smooth looking white pale skin (because there is no sun in the underworld), sharp features and pale lips.

Although my dad is much taller than me standing at 6'4 and can look very threatening looking down at you like that.

Damien was always kinda creeped out by my dad, he always somehow scared him- I think it was because all of the stories we both heard about him.

Nevertheless, my dad had always scared the crap out of Damien and since he is 131 years older than me, which makes him about 19 and a bit in human years, so I would always tease him about it.

He used to say I was ' _Practically as demonic as it gets'._  
 _And I will always take pride in that._


	3. # Chapter 2 #

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i own nothing. Also- this is fanfiction guys, obliviously it won't be exactly like the show. ENJOY

** DAWN: **   
  
  


I woke up a while ago seeing as demons don't necessarily need to sleep- I mean we can fall asleep if really tried to but we could go our whole lives very well without it since we're  _technically_ not alive.

I  _would_ have told Damien to set me down 'cause I can walk perfectly on my own two feet, but I don't really feel like walking and Dae's arms feel really warm around me- besides I'm not really hiding the fact that I'm awake now and he doesn't seem to mind.

We are quiet as Damien walks through the forest carrying me like his bride, both of us listening to the noises of nature around us.   
From the wind softly blowing the leaves on the trees and the flapping sound of a bird's wings souring though the sky.

I have never in my life seen anything quite like it- so blue and bright like the Earth's sky, it's so beautiful and it seems never ending- like no matter how far you walk or how high you fly you will always be surrounded by all the different shades of blue. Truly magnificent.

Damien's hands are tightly wrapped around me like he needs a constant reminder that I'm still here and in one piece-  _so far at least_ \- as he maneuver his way between the thick trees, and looked just about ready to drop me and attack any kind of danger that might live in this strange place, his black eyes scanning through the trees for any sign of movement.

Damien was always protective of me, I don't know if that's because I am a Royal Blood and it is his natural instinct to protect he's future leader or because we were always close- perhaps a little bit of both.

I didn't even notice when the sand started to disappear and was replaced by a solid ground, twigs, leaves and dirt.   
The suffocating smell of salt became less noticeable and the forest smells of fresh rain, trees, leaves and animals took its place.

"Do you think that your father already noticed that we're gone?" Damien asked, pulling me out of my thoughts as I was admiring everything around us- _everything is so different!_

"I don't know if he figured out you're gone too but I'm pretty sure I'm already busted" I offered him a small smile, looking up at his eyes.

"And you're not afraid of what he'll do to us once we're back home?"

"Nope, Damien you know I'm not scared of my dad, and he's probably just acting like that because he's worried"

"Yeah well, the devil worries for you and wants you safe, but as for me.... I'm practically a dead man walking," He paused and seemed to consider something, "even more so then usual." He chuckled.

I laughed at that, Damien was always one of those few people that could get me to laugh and smile.  
He and my father were the only ones who could do that, the only ones who could get me to feel.... anything really.

You see, I'm like my father in that way, I'm not trying to purposefully be emotionless or cruel, I was just born numb, I guess.

I hardly ever feel emotions and the only ones who could get me to crack a smile are my dad and Damien.

I've been trained over the years how to fake my feeling so the only way you can tell if I'm faking is if you really know me, but almost everyone in hell are too afraid of me to even touch me with a 5 foot stick, so that only leaves Damien and my father.

It does, however, comes in handy when I go on business trips with my dad outside of hell and I don't want to draw too much unwanted attention to myself, the humans never notice the difference, they aren't my grandfather's most intelligent creations.

I heard a twig snap from my left.

My head snapped in that direction and Damien quickly put my feet on the ground and stepped out in front of me so he was shielding most of body behind him and then took a defensive stance just like we were trained.

He had that glint in his eyes- the one got when he was having more fun the he probably should while working on a soul in the torture chambers under the castle grounds- he looks just about ready to pounce on whatever it is and rip all its limbs from the corpse with his  _teeth_.

We were both trained since we were really young to try and be the best of the best- though I probably train even more than he does because all of those extra hours I get because  _I live with the freaking coach._

I didn't really want my dad to be the one training us for this exact reason but my father insisted that he doesn't trust any other demon around his 3 year old daughter, and I was clearly too young to argue at the time since then my dad became our trainer and much to my dismay- and Dae's really too because my dad scares him- that status never really changed over the years.

_And Damien knew that._

But I suppose that never really stopped him from being so protective of me over the years.

Out do the shadows stepped 5 wolves, but I could tell they weren't just any normal wolves, no they were a whole lot bigger and looked even stronger,werewolves _\- well that can't be a good sign._

There first three wolves were different shades of light and dark brown, and there was another tan colored wolf who stood a little taller than all the others- from what I remember from our studies he isn't big enough to be an Alpha-  _thank the Hell for that_ \- so he's most likely the second in command; and then another wolf who's size seems to be in the average between the brown wolves and the tan one with dark brown fur- probably the third in commend.

I've never seen a werewolf in person before and they really look different from the way my father described them when we were learning about their weaknesses- he said that while they can transform into the body of a beast they still hold higher intelligence then the average human's, that they can be cunning and we should be weary of them.

But then again humans aren't very bright to begin with so that's not much to go by, However I can testify that they really do look like savages in real life. Like mindless unintelligent animals who attack on impulse and without a thought.

The wolves started circling us, snapping their canines at us and snarling in our direction but they seemed to be waiting for an order to attack or for Dae to make the first move.

We were clearly outnumbered even though I think Damien and I could take them all out without even breaking a sweat, I don't think outing what we are is the smart way to go about this and besides too much attention could become a problem very quickly- once the word is out that we're here it will take my dad less than a day to come and drag us back to Hell.

Another wolf came out of the woods.

His fur seemed to be made out of patches of black and white and he honestly looked like he was on steroids with the unnatural amount of muscles on him- maybe it's all that salty toxic air that causes those mutations.

He is by far the biggest one standing on all fours at 5'5 and looked to be the strongest of the six.

Everything about him just screamed power and authority and that could only mean one thing...

_Alpha._


	4. # Chapter 3 #

** AIDEN: **   
  
  


My alarm clock went off for the third time that morning.

Getting out of bed in the morning was probably the most difficult part of my day- not that it gets much better as the day goes on but the mornings are always hard for me.

Every werewolf's dream is to find his mate and to live happily ever after- and the life you have lead before meeting that special someone just becomes meaningless, the longer you spend without the presence of your soul mate, the more you become a shell of yourself. Depressed. Mad.

A soul mate is the person that was made just for you- the only one who will truly understand you and complete you in every way. The one to bring out the best in you- your better half, destined to spend eternity with.

A mate is something you are bound to love, cherish and take care of at all costs.

Starting my day without my mate every morning is incredibly hard, emotionally painful really; and until I find her it's not going to be getting any better.

I put all my effort into pulling myself out of bed. It felt like something was wrong, off. I shuffled downstairs, out to the kitchen and sunk into a chair, still trying to find the motivation to do something.

My mind was racing and I had no idea what I was even supposed to be doing, everything was just too overwhelming.

With a sigh, I stood up and grabbed a Pop- Tart package. There, that was something productive, right?

My cell phone went off. I stared at it for a few moments, not really feeling like answering it.

But as an Alpha of a pack and I have my duties to them ever since my parents died and my older brother decided he has better things to do with life then take care of 962 souls. So it became my duty.

"Hello?" I asked, answering the phone.

"Where are you?" Liam, my beta asked.

"Why the hell do you care?" Why was he always so irritating? Why is he my best friend again? If there is nothing argent then why couldn't I live my own life without him for once? I didn't need him to count my every second.

"Right, so I'll see you at school when exactly? You do know it's already first period right?"

I'm not exactly the first high- school senior to skip class so what's his deal? Besides I can't seem to find the strength doing anything right now- Beta or not I'm sure he can manage without me for a day.

"I don't know. What's the point?" I hung up and pressed my face to the cool glass of the counter, my Pop- Tart package still sitting there, unopened.

I stood up and walked outside, yearning to feel a sense of hope, happiness. Anything really.

But I know that it won't happen- not without my mate at least.

It felt like everything was black and white- moving in slow motion around me, like I wasn't really living. Like this was all a dream, and I was observing it from the outside.

I went back inside, the empty feeling still inside. The world was hopeless, nothing really seemed to matter. Not without  _her_.

My stomach rumbled, forcing me to finally open the Pop- Tart package. It tasted bland- tasteless really; so I set it down with a sigh and set back down, I placed my faced against the cool glass of the table again.

My emotions were racing as fast as my heart. It felt like the walls were closing in on me.

There was nobody left for me, nothing left for me without her.

I heard the front door open, but I didn't have the energy, or care, to turn and see who just walked into the Alpha's house.  _It's probably some pack member coming to complain about something that I didn't have the energy to deal with._

Liam came storming into my kitchen, followed by Dylan- my third, Alec then Ben. They all took a seat by the table across from me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice monotone.

"Come to school." Liam said looking straight into my eyes, I lifted my head off the table and straitened my black, staring right back at him until he looked away.

"It doesn't work like that, I'm your Alpha you can't order me around."

"Come to school  _please_ , it would do you good to take your mind off things."

"I'm fine, I don't need that." I said, standing up.

I gave them a stiff smile, it felt awkward- like it didn't really belong on my face. What reason did I have to be happy without my Luna?

"Aiden," Liam said, standing up to be at eye level with me, "Trust us, we only looking out for you and for the rest of the pack."

"What do they have to do with anything?" What reason do I have to even care? It all seems meaningless to me.

"The pack needs you sane, Aiden." It was Dylan this time, still sitting by the kitchen table. "They look up to you- they are all counting on you."

"There is no point. Not without  _her_." I did a sweep of the room, looking each one of my best friends in the eye until they looked away, then settled on my second in command.

"Look, I know it's hard right now, and I know that your bond with the Luna is stronger than other wolves, but you gotta keep pushing man- if not for yourself then for her." Liam said.

"Yeah, I mean do you really want to meet her looking like this?" Dylan chimed in.

"You're not going to trick me into going. Damn, what do you think I am, five?" I set back down in my original seat and put my feet up on the chair next to me. The joys of living alone.

"I'm done with this conversation. Thanks for stopping by, don't let the door hit you on the way out." All I really felt like doing is swallowing in my self-pity.

"Aiden," Dylan said, standing up and walking a few steps closer to where I was sitting "Look just try for her, alright? What do you think the Luna would think of you like this? Do you think this is the kind of mate she would have wanted to have?" He tried to give me a stern look, and I just stared right back, not saying anything, because I knew he was right.

Dylan saw that he was starting to get to me, so he continued, "I know this is especially hard for you because of your bloodline but just try to pull though, for her." he finished.

I just let out a sigh, I knew he was right, and I knew that my mate deserved better than this- wherever she may be.

"Fine, I'll go. But only if you all get off my case with all this mate talk." I don't need to be thinking about her more then I already do- that would surely drive me nuts.

Alec, who was uncharacteristically quiet ever since they all walked in, stood up as well and jogged around the table until he was standing right in front of me.

"No Chick- Flick moments?" He said, holding up his palm in my direction- his signature smirk tagging at his mouth.

"No Chick- Flick moments." I chuckled, and slapped the hand he was holding up.

This was our thing, I suppose, me,  Alec and his twin Ben, who was also weirdly quiet up until now. I guess this why they were all my best friends- they know me better than anyone.

Liam chuckled and slapped my left shoulder smiling and Dylan, Alec and Ben all jokingly cheered and laughed at me cracking a smile, because it's apparently so fucking rare these days. _Assholes._

"So for breakfast," Liam said, opening my cabinets. "What do you want?"

"Are you good at anything?" I asked Liam, raising my eyebrows.

"I can shoot a basketball better then you, pretty boy." He mocked.

I threw my empty coke can at him, which was left on the table from last night.

"You wish dumbass."

We both cracked up and I balled up the paper that my Pop- Tart came it.

"Five bucks says I can make it." I said to Liam.

"Five bucks you can't."

One of the good things about being high up in the pack's chain of command, is we have money, plenty of it- which means Liam will accept any bet, even if it's obvious he would lose.

I shot and made it in.

"You owe me five." All the boys around me chuckled, Ben lifted his hand for a high five- beginning to act like himself again for the first time this morning- and I slapped it as hard as I could, laughing along with everyone else.

"Shit man!" Ben moaned, shaking his palm. "I think you just slapped my hand right off!"

"Quit acting like a pussie, Ben." Alec laughed, bumping his shoulder with his twin's. "It's just a high five, grow a pair will you, you're embarrassing the family name."

Everyone laughed again and started joking around, while Liam pulled the money out of his back pocket and handed it to me.

"I need it in ones." I said with a smirk.

"You think you're hiring a stripper for five?" Dylan asked, raising his eyebrows. "You'll be getting one nasty- ass stripper."

"I'll bet you I can get some stripper for five." I said, rolling my eyes at them.

"Oh yeah, you sure can." Alec said, grabbing the car keys Liam must have placed on the kitchen table when they walked in and tossing them to him. "But she'll be a fat ugly one."

"Come on, if we leave now we might make it for lunch." Liam said, grabbing my car keys from the hanger above the kitchen counter and tossing them to me- which I caught perfectly.

"Alright." I said, getting up and started to walk to the front door, with everyone else right behind me.

When we got to the garage Liam and Dylan went to his car and I opened my black 1967 Chevy Impala and climbed in to the driver seat while Twin Terrors fought for shotgun.

She wasn't much, but she's my Baby. This impala had been my father's when he was alive, and I love it more than my own brother.

Eventually Ben managed to get the upper hand and climbed into the front seat with a cut above his right eyebrow, looking incredibly smug and Alec sat in the back cradling his left forearm. Battle scars and all that.

I chuckled at the twin's bickering as parked Baby in my usual parking spot in front of the school, and we all walked out, meeting with up Dylan and Liam as he parked next to me.

Even if it was already lunch time- our parking spots were still empty, no one was stupid enough to take them.

The bell for lunch must have just went off as there were still plenty of people milling around in the hallways as we walked through the entrance of the school and towards the cafeteria, joking and messing around as all the kids in the hall parted to let us though, this wasn't exactly an all werewolves school but even the unintelligent humans knew we were the last people they'd want to get in trouble with.

"Liam!" shouted Ashley, Liam's mate as soon as we walked into the cafeteria, running into Liam's already open arms.

Wolf- whistles erupted around them, and Liam buried his face in Ashley's neck.

"Get a room, you guys!"

"Someone's getting lucky tonight!"

Immediately whispers aroused around us and Liam and her separated for long enough for him to yell "Fuck off!" to everyone laughing and we all walked to our lunch table, the biggest that stood in the middle of the room.

Already sitting there was Brandon, the pack's best tracker, Will, Matt, John, Jace, Jessica, Sophia and a few other pack members with high places in the chain of command- waiting for us to get there.

We all settled down at our table, Ashley sitting on Liam's lap even though there were enough empty chairs around them. Ashley wasn't even hot, with her frizzy dark brown hair and dark eyes she wasn't exactly what I'd call fuckable, but I guess being her mate made her attractive to Liam. Fucking mates.

"What took you guys so long?" Asked Ashley, looking around at all of us.

"We couldn't leave our fearless leader so sulk all by himself, now could we?" Liam answered, pecking her lips as she giggled obnoxiously.

Sometimes I couldn't help but resent Liam- even being my best friend and all, he found Ashley a year ago when he was 17 and she was 18-  _apparently she was held back a year at kindergarten-_ and even though she is one of those  _humans_ , which was less than ideal, she is still his mate and I could only hope to be as happy as he is with her. Even if she's human.

Human mates are not exactly unheard of, but they were extremely frowned upon and less common then the normal wolf mates. I wouldn't think any less of my mate if she turned out to be human, it's not her fault and I would still accept her, I just hope she isn't. Things would be much easier that way.

"Don't look now, but Moniqua is coming." Jace said, raising his eyebrows at Ben and Alec sitting across from him.

"What the hell is you is wrong with you two?!" Moniqua gritted out through her teeth, while grabbing Ben's jacket- snapping her eyes between his and Alec's.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ben sounded amused and Alec had his signature smirk on his face.

Moniqua's whole front upper body was covered in flour.

"Like hell you don't!" Moniqua spat, the clones just grinned in her face while the rest of the table started to notice what was going on and the laughter only grew louder.

"Flour balloon in her locker again? You need to get more creative than that." Said Matt to the twins in amusement.

"Yeah, didn't you guys already do that once?" I asked, playing along with Matt. Moniqua looked just about ready so commit homicide- but we all knew she is too afraid to do anything.

"You guys have to come up with better than that." Laughed Sophia, John's mate in shaking her head in mock disappointment.

"Man, this obviously didn't leave enough of an impression." Said Alec through laughter.

"Yeah dude, we gotta up our game." Agreed Ben. Moniqua's face was somewhere between deep red and purple, she just looked ready to explode.

"You are totally losing your touch." Chuckled Jessica, Will's mate. To which he immediately agreed to.

Aside from being two of my best warriors, Ben and Alec are also known as 'twin terrors'.   
A title which they received from the amount of cruel pranks and jokes they pull on just about everyone.   
Also a title they take great pride in and will do anything to live up to.

Moniqua, however, is just some unfortunate nerd they decided that they like to pick on. I can see why too, she has the funniest reactions to things.

****************************

It's was already half way through fourth period and I didn't listen to a word Mrs. Thompson had said through this whole lesson, I really don't have time for her nonsense now, I have much more important things on my mind.

Like my mate.

_Why hadn't she shown up yet? I'm already 18, how much longer will I have to wait?_

Just the thought that my future Luna is out there somewhere in the world and she could lonely, or sad, or something horrible could be happening to her, already had me worried and restless.

Or she could be with some dumb fucker who is touching what is  _clearly_  mine.

It was just then that the bell rang, and in seconds I was flying through the door and out to the hall, even the stupid humans parting ways to let the angry Alpha though.

I was incredibly frustrated and restless by this point, and the last thing I felt like doing was AP Algebra, so I walked straight down the hall and to the school's front entrance.

I'm an Alpha for fuck's sake, what can they possibly do to me?

So I started walking towards the parking lot when some chick who I didn't bother remembering the name to came by and grabbed my arm.

"Hey Aiden, my parents are gone for the weekend, wanna come to my place?"  
I'm no virgin but I honestly had absolutely no time for her shit at that moment, all I could think about was my mate and how worried I am. Something could be happening to her and I'm not there to stop it.

I rip my forearm away from her fucking claws and keep walking to my car.

"Stacy, right?" I asked without even turning back.

"Amanda actually." As if that matters.

"Whatever, I don't have time for this so fuck off." By then I've reached my car and was opening the door.

I didn't even look at her as I reversed out of the school parking lot and into the street before she could have time to register what I just said.

When I got to the Alpha's house I walked up to my room on the top floor in the building, and went straight to the shower.

Maybe it could give me time to think of ideas of where my mate might be. I just don't think I can last much longer without my better half.

 _'Alpha Aiden, we've spotted two scents in the far west corner of the territory,_ _it's probably_ _rogues.'_  
My Beta's voice filled my head through the pack link.

' _Probably?'_ I can imagine I  _probably_  sounded as irritated as I felt.

' _Yes, Sir_.' He sounded nervous now, which is understandable, seeing as nobody wants to deal with an alpha in a mood.

' _Probably means maybe, and maybe means you don't know. So you might as well say you just don't know. '_ I paused, and when it was made obvious that he wasn't going to answer, I muttered back a dry, ' _I'll be right there_ _._ _'_

Quickly jumping out of the shower, I put on some basketball shorts seeing as I'll be running in wolf form anyways, and went outside, headed to the direction of the woods, I shifted in mid-step and starter running deeper into the forest.

After running in wolf form for ten minutes, jumping above fallen trees and moving between the branches I smelled the most amazing scent I have ever came across, it smelt like fresh rain and...  _fire_ _smoke_  and I just couldn't get enough of it.

The closer I got to the west corner of the territory, the stronger the scent got and it was driving me insane. I just  _had_  to find it.

My wolf was going nuts barking and growling like a blood- thirsty animal and it only made me push my feet faster and faster towards it.

Not before long I heard wolves snarling and recognized them as my Beta, Third, and some of the pack warriors; so I followed that noise into a small clearing not far from the border.

There was a this buff looking dude who was pushing a smaller girl behind him in a protective manner, standing in a very well practice fighting position.   
It was clear he knew what he was doing.

The guy was very tall and muscular from where I could see, he had black hair, and unnatural looking black eyes. Talk about being a freak.

The girl pushed him aside a little and stepped next to him but the guy still kept a hand around the small of her back protectively, that action had my possessive wolf snarling and trying to take over control and rip that freak's head off.

As soon as I laid my eyes on the girl I chocked on air; she was breathtaking.

She had white-blond hair that almost reached her waist and freezing blue eyes the bore into my soul, she had a cute little bottom nose and pale pink lips that I would kiss for hours if she'd let me.

I would bet legitimate money on the fact that there is a picture of her next to the word sexy in the dictionary, that's how amazing she looked.

She also held her head high with pride fit for a princess- and I will make sure she is treated like one.  _That's my girl_

But as soon as my eyes locked with her freezing blue ones I felt like we were the only two people on earth, I got lost in her incredible eyes and I never wanted to find my way back.

_My mate._

I stepped out in front of my warriors and just as I was about to shift back and claim her, she did something that stopped me on the spot.

She stepped behind the black eyed guy so only half her body was showing and hugged his arm.

He gave her a small smile, like they were having a secret conversation just for the two of them, which angered me more.

Why the fuck is she hanging off his arm like that? She is mine!

It didn't take a genius to guess that by then my eyes were black and I was shaking with anger and jealousy, my wolf was extremely close to taking over, and I was on the verge of letting him.

She smiled softly at him then, and it really was the most beautiful smile in the world, a smile that could light up the whole world, brighter than the fucking sun. But it wasn't for me, it was for that freak she was hanging off the arm of.

So I let go.


	5. # Chapter 4 #

** DAWN: **   
  


I stepped out from behind Damien so I can stand next to him and asset the situation better, though he still held my waist tightly.

 _Always be aware of your environment._ My father's voice rang in my head, from our countless training sessions.

Warning growls were heard around the clearing, trying to scare us into forfeiting the game before it even started. As if.

_Never take your eyes off the enemy, never cover your eyes or let your opponent go out of your vision._

I took another half a step forward but stayed in Damien's arm reach, having me close always helps him concentrate. We need to stay relaxed and give nothing away.

_Stay as relaxed as you can, and breathe deeply. The more relaxed you are, the harder you will strike and the less susceptible to injury you will be._

The wolves continued circling us, snarling and growling like savage wild animals, trying to look intimidating we were taught to keep our face blank. Give nothing away.

_Commit to the fight, you're there to attack, kill, destroy, win._

One of the smaller looking brown wolves mindlessly charged at Damien, assuming we'd be easy to take down. It was tactless and pathetic; I doubt he's even trying.

_Never underestimate you're opponent, it will be your downfall._

Damien easily dodged the attack with inhuman speed, blurring out of the way, and the animal was distracted sent a strong punch to the side of the wolf's head, sending him flying backwards a few feet until he collided with a thick tree trunk, the unmistakable sound of cracking bones filled the silent night.

His friends didn't seem to like that particular move very much and they all started running at us- lead by the black and white wolf, acting on complete impulse.

_A victory consists of a carefully thought out plan, executed perfectly. Luck or impulse has nothing to do with it._

Their fan- favorite seems to be Damien, as most were targeting him, creating a two feet radius, wolf-less circle around me.

I didn't worry about Damien, he is more than capable then taking care of himself, keeping the perfect distance between the opponent and himself, ducking and avoiding the sharp claws and teeth. Was that one really trying to  _bite_ him? Animals much.

_Stay at a distance from your opponent, allowing the distance to shorten only to strike._

The tan colored wolf came running at me with what I assume is a werewolf's full speed and I blurred of the way, rolling to my left and stepping in fighting stance as the wolf charged again snarling like some dog freak- his canines bared. Simply tactless.

_Establish your balance so that you can stay on your feet. Spread your legs to shoulder width and bend your knees. Don't end up on the ground- it gives the opponent the upper hand of higher ground._

I ducked under him, and while he was still in the air above me I sinked my sharp nails as hard as I could into his stomach, that combined with his incredible speed and the fact that I like to keep my nails long- drew out an impressive amount of blood, that had him jumping back and howling in pain.

Take that you half human- half dog freak! My claws are sharper.

_Focus on what you have to do land the punch, avoid the counter, move._

The familiar smell I grew up around entered my noise, with a pained filled howl accompanying it, blood. Lots of it. Perhaps I cut in deeper then I originally thought.

I looked over the side to see that Damien was handling pretty well his bunch of mutated mutts.

One of them was laying on the ground knocked out cold and another had been injured badly and was limping while Damien fought off the biggest one. It looked like he was enjoying himself immensely.

This is almost too easy, like they're not really trying. So much for being more intelligent than humans, I'll have to tell my father he was wrong- they are both equally disappointing.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the tan wolf coming at me again, his stomach bleeding heavily and leaving a trail of blood behind him- that somehow reminded me of home.

_Defend yourself. Respond to attacks by aiming for any open, vulnerable spot without exposing too much of yourself._

I tried to dodge him but it was too late by the time I noticed and he made a long scratch on my forearm, and the dark purple liquid I call my blood flowed down my body freely.

_Distract your opponent. Make them loose track of you and your actions._

The mutt looked absolutely shocked by my unusual colored blood, like he didn't know what to do with me or himself at the moment. Racist much. I hate it when demons are treated like second class citizens.

I took this as a chance to end him before he finds any time to recover, I punched the thing hard between his eyes, satisfied with the laud crack and the distance he flew backwards, I made sure he wouldn't bother us for much longer.

Demons have a different type of blood then the mortals on Earth because our bodies work differently, so naturally the color of a demon's blood is black- but again because someone up there really liked to single the royalty out-  _thanks for that grandfather_ \- Our blood is dark purple.

Why? Because God had a weird sense of humor. Screw you too granddad.

Now catching sight of the black and white wolf who disappeared a while ago, he was running through the trees behind me as I sharply turned my head to that direction, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my neck, like a needle. I hate needles.

_Lean on your opponent. This tactics works well to wear him out and let him waste energy throwing punches with no leverage._

I felt my energy draining and then the world started spinning. I was nothing that ever happened to me before.

My head got really dizzy and my eyelids closed on their own as I sunk to the ground, my legs no longer having the strength to work.

The world turned black as I heard Dae's voice calling my name in the distance, it sounded extremely faded, like someone else's dream, as did the beyond furious growl that followed it.

Then everything went blank.


	6. # Chapter 5 #

** AIDEN: **   
  
  


I was attacking that black eyed weirdo who thought he would touch  _my_ mate and live long enough to tell the tale, again, when I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, like a needle. I fucking hate needles.

I darted my eyes back quickly I couldn't see anyone behind me, there is no way that pain is mine, I'm in wolf form for fucks sake, it can't be mine. It's  _not_ mine.

Some dumbass with a fucking death- wish dared to touch my mate. I don't think I've ever let out a growl quite this loud. Ever.

My wolf snared loudly in my head, already imagining ripping limb to limb the walking- corpse who's harming my newly found, gorgeous mate, as intense bloodlust took over my body.

My opponent forgotten completely as I turned to look for her by the trees, my blood boiling. Someone is going to fucking die tonight.

My mate was kneeling on the ground, holding the back of her neck while her other hand was clutching the grass on the ground, holding it for dear life.

Her eyes were tightly shut with pain and she looked like she was about to pass out any second. When I get my hands on whoever did this I'll make sure he'd wish he was never born. The beast let out a deafening growl in my head, trying to take control over my mind.

It took all of my self-control to push him back, the last thing I can afford to do is anything reckless. I have to be able to think straight.

Assess the situation and decide on the best course of action leading to victory with the least casualties. Eliminate the threat to my mate. Keep my Luna safe.

"Dawn!" The freak I was fighting yelled, reminding me of his presence.

Behind my mate on the grown, was my third in commend standing with a victorious look on his face and some syringe thrown carelessly on the grass next to them.

I could already feel the rage running though my veins, leaving a burning hot trail behind it, before completely consuming my whole being, I looked my opponent to make sure he won't try to do anything while I'm distracted. He seems like the type to have no honor in the battlefield, with the way he's been fighting I wouldn't put it past him.

It was the first time I saw any type of, well, anything really on his face that is not all robotic like. He looked worried, maybe panicked even, but mostly angry. He was fucking livid, glaring at Dylan with so much hate.

Not wanting my mate in the presence on someone who might be of a danger to her, I sent a message though the pack link to my Beta and Will.

_'Take my mate to the pack house, a single strand of her hair missing and neither of you will like the consequences'_

I got a  _'yes Alpha.'_  and then they were off, quickly sifting to their human skin, both coated heavily in blood- someone else's or their own, I didn't care enough to find out, and gently picked up my mate- Dawn, and jogged away.

I turned back to face the freak next to me, only to see the look of shock and horror as he watched Dawn's retreating form. He tried to chase after them but I jumped in his way and barred my teeth.

"Where the fuck do you think you're taking her?" He demanded.

I eyed him carefully, looking for any sharp movements or other signals that he plans on attacking again, but he just looked like he doesn't know what to do with himself now. Defeated expression, like he failed.

Since he no longer looked like much of a threat, I shifted back to my human skin, nudity wasn't something we bothered with in my pack.

"It's no longer you're concern." I told him, in a flat voice.

"Like hell it's not! What did you do to her?" He yelled, coming a step closer to me so we're chest to chest, using the few inches he was taller than me for intimidation.

"I'll take care of her, she is safe with me." I got in his face even more, using my Alpha voice.

"The fuck man, you can't just take her!" He said.

"She's  _mine_!" I snarled back. "Grab him." I ordered my wolves, who knew not to question me at times like this.

The guy didn't look effected by me, or anything around him for that matter, and retreated back to his robotic shell. He didn't even look phased when my men restrained him and dragged him with us to the cellar. Almost willingly. Like we walked straight into his carefully laid out trap.

I guess he really would do anything to keep an eye on my mate.

*****************

That guy gives me the creeps.

After the silent walk to the center of the territory, we locked him in a cell, even locked up he unnerves me. Fucking freak.

We left him there and walked out of the cellar, not bothering to look back, and we parted ways- I was headed to the Alpha's house and them to the pack house, where most of the young members of my pack live.

The Alpha's house is a really fancy house, with everything modern and expensive. I built that place as soon as I became Alpha so that my mate would always live in luxury. I built this house up for her.

I climbed up to the top floor, then ran into my room, the smell of my mate already omitting heavily from there.

Liam was sitting on some chair near my bed, and Will was standing on the other side of it. Both staring at my mate like she's not real. Unblinking.

They were both covered in a thin layer of blood and dirt, looking with concern at the motionless figure lying on my bed.

"Wasn't she supposed to wake up by now? Dylan didn't give her that much." Will asked.

"Nah man, I think she's supposed to be out for a few more hours." Liam said, scratching the back of his neck.

They both looked in my direction for answers, as if I know what that fucker injected the Luna with.

"I don't know guys, I'll have the doctor check on her in a few." I said, not taking my eyes off her.

Was she supposed to be out for this long?

Even though they practically don't know Dawn, the beasts inside them recognize her as their leader, someone precious to the pack and its survival. Seeing her like this must be extremely unsettling.

Their first instinct will always be to protect her, a pack without a Luna will crumble down.

So it wasn't much of a surprise for me to see my distressed beta and warrior unnerved by Luna's condition. It's in their blood.

But that still doesn't mean I'm going to allow two naked males in the same building as my mate. I quickly dismissed and I sat on the chair Liam was previously occupying, grabbing my mate's small, delicate little hand in my rougher one, I simply enjoyed the comforting sparks when our skin touched. Basking in my mate's presence.

"Please wake up Dawn" I whispered to my sleeping mate.


	7. # Chapter 6 #

** DAWN: **   
  
  


I woke up in a bed that wasn't mine and with my head feeling like it's going to split open.

What the hell did I do?

I struggled up to a sitting position, so I can lean on the headboard of the bed I seem to be lying on; and assess the situation.

 _Always be aware of your environment._ My father's voice rang through my head once more, reminding me of our countless training sessions.

Whoever designed this room didn't seem to like colors very much, since the whole place was all black and white, from the black carpet and the white walls, dark wooded desk in the right corner and white lamps scattered around the place, to the black and white sheets I am currently sitting on and the two white doors in the corner.

I was still wearing the cloths Dae got me, only my dress had a purple blood stain on it now. That got all the memories to flash back to me.

The half- human half- dog freaks!

 _Never take your eyes off the enemy_.

I can't see any of them right now, I seem to be the only one in the room. I felt my stomach drop as I began to panic, frantically scanning my eyes across the room and searching for something I must have missed. No guards visible, they couldn't have really been stupid enough to leave me all by myself.

Then again I did establish that those mutated animals aren't the most intelligent, probably something to do with the toxic salty air that just seems to be everywhere on this annoying planet.

Why did I want to come here again? Right, freedom.

So much for that anyways, now I'm stuck as prisoner. I didn't come all this way just to be stuck with a pack of rabid, mindless animals.

Rolling my eyes, I quickly got up blurred over to the other side of the room and went to violently try one of the white doors, but it was stuck.   
Freaking mutts. At least they have  _some_ sense in them.

A pair of big transparent doors on my right caught my eye, and I slowly walked towards them. Why the name of my Grandfather are they see- through? I've never seen anything like it.

The material they were made of looked very fragile, but quite cool and solid for the touch. Through them I could see the trees outside. Why would someone build a door this unstable, it looked like it might break any second.

They were, however, surprisingly open and I stepped out, the wind blowing my hair back and the marble stone cold against my bare feet. Walking to the edge, I looked down, trying to see where I am. It was quite high but I'd survive the jump.

Just when I was about to try out my theory, I remembered something. Some _one_.

Was Damien taken too? What did those mutants do to him? Is he okay? Did he make it out?

But for the off chance that he might still be here, then there is no way I'm leaving without him.

I looked out to the distance, trying to locate where I am, but all I came up with are trees, trees and more trees. We were completely surrounded by the woods.  _Freaking awesome._

I walked back a couple of steps and sat on the railing that seem to be surrounding me out here,  and put my feel up on them as well while leaning my back against the cool wall, I allowed myself to relax.

It really is calming, looking into the distance where the forest life is never- ending. I have discovered that I very much enjoy the cool breeze on my skin, the wind. We don't have that at home, so I suppose I'll miss it.

And the view was different as well, now that I really look at it, I can easily say that I have  _never_ seen so much color; and sitting up here in this odd place, looking down at the ground and out into the distance, I felt so powerful, like I have the whole world at my fingertips. Like nothing could touch me, and as long as I remained high off the ground, I'd be unstoppable.

I suppose my dad would have liked it too, I wonder if he'd ever felt the wind on his face, when he came up here for business, or if he sat up somewhere high, and listened to the quiet of the Earth's nature. No screams. No crackling of fire. Just  _quiet_.

It was astonishing. Absolutely mind- blowing.

Even though my mind was elsewhere, my senses were always alert and unconsciously picked up on the smallest sounds. Like the door quietly opening.

My back straightened even more and my eyes flew open, my breath caught in my throat as I turned my face to the left, so I can press my ear against the wall. Listening carefully to every sound.

This must be the freak holding me hostage. One heartbeat. I'm sure I can take him.

"Holy fucking shit! Where the hell is the Luna? Ben! Ben, you gotta fucking see this." A male, and a panicked one at that.

"What is wrong with you, Alec? I'm right behind you, would you quit yellin- Where the fuck is the Luna?" There was another heartbeat now, another male. Then it was quiet for a little bit, and then there was a few shuffling sounds. I pressed my cheek harder against the wall, and heard a male like grunt.

"The hell man, what was that for?" Another grunt.

"Being a dumbass, and losing the Luna on the first day." I heard the beasts walking around, "Some guard you are."

"Wha- That was your job too! Aiden told us to guard her together, so this is on you too."

"Shut up." That was followed by a grunt and a snicker.

I kept quiet as I gathered more intel on my enemy, holding my breath, but allowing the wind at my high place to calm me down. I can do this.

I need to be calm, and work out a strategic plan of attack if I want any chance at winning this battle. And right now the goal is to find Dae and get us both out of here alive. This is the mission, and my father said that the mission always come first.

_A victory consists of a carefully thought out plan, executed perfectly._

I got this.

"Where the fuck could she have possibly gone?" The voice was followed by frantic footsteps "I was only gone for like, a second."

"Man, Aiden is going to fucking murder us if we don't find his Luna." Who the hell is Aiden? "And soon."

"She couldn't have gotten far, I mean, she was literally right here, and the door was obviously locked." He sounded like he was desperately trying to reassure someone, I couldn't tell if it's the other mutant in the room, or himself.

"Dude," A smack, followed by a grunt. "What if something happened to her?" One of them said quietly.

"No! No, we gotta fucking find her, she has to be here somewhere." There was something in his voice, denial, dread. But the only person in this room was me, I can't possibly be the one they're looking for.

No, that's impossible. They said they lost their Luna, my dad told me all about those when I studied the weaknesses of lycans with Dae. The Luna is the male Alpha's mate, she is the most valuable person in a werewolf pack, without her it would crumble down.

She is a key player in a war or a mission, to take down any pack, or to get under the skin of any of those freaks. It's actually very strange that they lost truck of their Luna, from what I learned, she must always be kept under lock and key, with her dozen guards. Because there was no one in a pack that is more important than her.

But I was the only one in the room.

I thought about making my presence known, but having the element of surprise now would help me eliminate my targets, since now I think that I might need it. The Luna's guards are usually the strongest, most skillful fighters of the pack, which is the reason they got the most respectful job a warrior could apparently receive. Go figure.

Then again, it's not my fault mutated freaks don't have enough brain cells to lock a freaking door when an obvious captive is occupying the room. I suppose this will teach them a lesson. Don't be so stupid.

_Never underestimate your opponent._

"Oh, thank fuck." A clearly relived voice came from my left, which sounded  _way_ to close to still be inside that colorless room. My head snapped left with inhuman speed, and I quickly scanned my opponent, trying to find weak spots. I refused to go down easily.

"What is it? Did you find her?" A shout came from the other side of the room, the sound of feet jogging towards us became louder as another figure stepped out to the wind.

Holy shit, I'm actually seeing double now, the toxic air is finally getting in my system. There are freaking  _two of them_. My father said that mortals haven't perfected cloning yet, so it must be the salt in the air getting to me.

I'm definitely dying. 

Dae will have no one to save him, and my father will have no heir. Hell will have no future leader.

I never really thought about it, about death, how I feel about it. I know I don't fear it, I grew up with death everywhere around me. I know what happens to humans when they die, but what about demons? Born demons were technically never alive in the first place, so what happens to us?  
Where do demons go when they die?

The first one out of the set of clones was staring at me, standing a few feet back, but still burning holes into my head with his eyes, like I'd disappear if he dares to blink. The second one made an obvious beeline to me the second as he caught sight of me, he was holding on either side of my body and was closely looking me over, like he expects body parts to start falling off.

Well excuse you, I know I might look it, but I'm not that fragile. And unless you have salt, or holy water stored on you somewhere, I'm not going to start falling apart just yet.

The second guy out of the pair seem to be satisfied with the results of my physical inspection, moving his hands to cup both sides of my jaw as he held me tighter. He was looking at me with wild eyes, like he can't seem to be able to take his eyes off me.

I was too surprised to put up much of a fight really, as I shifted uncomfortably in his arms, which were getting even tighter. This guy sure is strong for an oversized animal.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Clone number two was really getting in my face now. I don't like it.

I grabbed his wrists with my own hands, and shoved them back to his chest, then quickly dropped them like his skin is made out of salt, like they burned me.

I was never used to people touching me, I don't like it when they get too close, it feels incredibly weird and uncomfortable. My dad sometimes puts his hand on my shoulder when he is really proud of me, but that's as far as that goes.

I suppose it has something to do with the fact that everyone I grew up around were always too scared to come within 5 feet of me, let alone  _touch_  me. The only person to ever touch me so freely is Damien. I felt the side of my lips twitch up at the thought of him.

"I'm fine." I said dryly, giving him a weird look.

He may have allowed our skin to stop making contact, but he clearly refused to take a step back

Instead he bent down so he was closer to my level, since I was still sitting on the edge of the railing, and starting smelling me, like some  _freaking_   _dog_. I mean, I know that they take this whole mutts thing really seriously and all, but the freak was sniffing me now!

"Get the hell off!" I said, raising my eyebrows and pushing him off me. Who the hell do they even think they are? I'm the princess of the damned, they shouldn't even be in my presence.

The freak instinctively took half a step back, but that was still was too close in my opinion.

"What the fuck are you?" He asked, staring at me in confusion, then he turned to the first half of said set of clones, "Smell her, Ben, I swear her scent is defiantly off."

The first half of the clones- Ben, I suppose, pushed himself off the railing he was previously leaning on, a few feet away, and walked over to us.

He leaned closed to his clone and furred his eyebrow.

"The fuck? You're not human." That wasn't a question.

"Ew, gross no." I scrunched my face up at the thought.

Human. Me.

I felt disgust running through my whole body, leaving a burning feeling everywhere it went, and making me feel the need to shower.   
Hell, could those abominations even get any stupider, or have we reached the maximum point?

They looked like they just got their breath sucked right out of them, as their eyes scanned my face. Do they always do everything at the same time? Because it's starting to get creepy.   
Eventually Ben broke the silence, blinking a few times and clearing his throat.

"Well you're obviously not a werewolf, so what the hell are you?" Ben continued.

"I don't think that's any of your business, you freak." They looked genuinely offended that I thought of them that way, but I was so done with them both by then, I couldn't possibly care any less then I do at this moment.

Who in the world do they even think they are, talking to me like I'm somewhere below them. Like I owe them answers, as if I owe anything to those disgusting half meatbag, half hairball abominations. My father says that they shouldn't even exist, an honest mistake of nature. Back home, I could have them killed just for looking at me like they are.

There was an awkward silence for a little bit, before Ben's other clone regained control over his muscles.

"What does that even supposed to mean?" He said.

"Whatever." I said dismissively, rolling my eyes at him. I am so done speaking to them.

They just stared at me wild eyed, like I'd just slapped them. I don't know why they are so surprised at my attitude, they're the ones holding me captive. I feel like a war fugitive.

"Um, okay." The second clone said, he seemed to be trying a different approach. "I'm Alec, and that's my twin Ben. What's your name?"

I just looked at him suspiciously, narrowing my eyes, I don't like him one bit, nor do I trust him.

_Don't you know Princess? The only one you can ever trust is yourself._

"If you don't tell us your name, we're gonna have to keep calling you Luna." Ben said. But Luna? Why would they make up a name for me?

"That's not my name." I said, looking at them blankly.

"What the fuck is it then?" Ben was getting annoyed by now, serves the jerk right, keeping me away from my freedom.

I could just kill them, right here, right now. It would almost be too easy, to eliminate the problem.

The thought went through me like a flash, but I dismissed it just as quickly. If I kill them, then I'll never find Dae, and that's not an option. I'm not leaving without Dae.

Thinking about Dae reminded me it's now time to put my plan of attack into motion, the mission comes first. Take them down from the inside. I have to get my head in the war.

_Commit to the fight, you're there to attack, kill, destroy, win._

"Dawn" I said in an innocent voice, nailing it flawlessly, just like my father taught me, while putting on a small, welltrained _,_  fake smile.

A slow grin grew on both their face as they looked me, I'm surprised they even bought it. I guess they did because they wanted to believe it. Attachments only make you weaker, blind.

"So you're the new Luna, huh." Alec said, smiling at me, and giving me another once- over. "I have to say, I have heard so many things about you, but they truly don't do you any justice."

It seemed like it didn't take much to break Alec out of his shell, for as soon as he felt that I wasn't about to behead him, he became an overconfident flirt, that thought he could concur the world.

One down, one to go.

"What do you mean I'm the new Luna?" I asked. Screw them, I'm so not about to change my name. Ben, however, seemed excited about my question. I guess I am going somewhere with him.

"You know, because you're mated to our  _oh so_   _fearless leader_  Aiden, that makes you Luna of the pack." Ben said, his grin growing bigger as he let out his sarcastic opinion about his so called leader.

"Um Ben, I'm not your leader's mate, or your Luna. That's impossible." I told him, whispering the last part.

Whoever this leader guy is, Aiden, Ben called him, he is seriously delusional if he thinks I'll play long with his lie. I physically can't have a mate because demons are soulless creatures. Ergo, I can't have a  _soul_ \- mate. It's really not that complicated.

"Relax babe, you don't have to deny it, seriously, we don't mind. I mean he hasn't stopped talking about you ever since he found you in the woods yesterday." Alec said, bending a little so he could be eye- level with me, because there is no way I'm giving up this seat on the railing.

"You know, he wouldn't leave the bed you were in for like, a second but he had to go take care of some Alpha bullshit so he got us," Alec gestured to himself and his clone "To make sure you are taken care of."

Obsessive freak, that Aiden guy is.

"And how's that been working out for you?" I asked, playing along and twitching the side of my lips a little to somehow resemble a smile.

I seems like they bought it though, since Alec now looked like he had done the impossible and was now extremely proud of himself, and even Ben's boyish smile grow a bit more.

Alec took my playing along as an open invitation, for as soon as the words were out of my mouth, he was already closing in on me. I was still sitting on the railing, my left side facing them with only my head turned in the clone's direction, so he walked the very few feet that were separating us in the first place, and he placed his hands on either side of my waist, clutching the railing like it was the only thing preventing me from falling. Not that 40 feet would do much damage, I have jumped from higher, but he didn't know that.

"Oh, it's been working out amazing, babe." Alec said, looking down at me like he just found the secret to life.

I thought he was going to kiss me, that how close our lips were. Literally a breath apart. Alec didn't seem like he was planning to move anytime soon, and I didn't necessarily want him to.

Alec is no Damien in hotness level, but nevertheless he is still an extremely attractive guy, with his messy brown hair, green eyes and pretty face; but then again I don't think anyone will ever reach Damien on any hotness scale.

I generally wouldn't have a problem making out with Alec. Just for fun. Because it defiantly would be, this boy looks like he knows exactly what he's doing and I have no doubt I would enjoy shoving my tongue down his throat. But he just happens to be a disgusting fleabag. A species that should have never existed in the first place.

"Alec! What the fuck man? Stop flirting with your  _Luna_." Ben said, grabbing Alec's shoulder and looking at him bewildered.

And so Alec was ripped from on top of me and pushed carelessly behind Ben, as he started franticly apologizing for his clone, which seems to still be in some sort of daze.

"Luna, I'm really,  _really_  sorry about him. I know you already have a mate but Alec really is a dumbass and I fucking swear he doesn't know any better. Just don't tell the Alpha, he'll be mad as shit." Ben was starting to sound panicked now.

"Why would he be mad?" Why does their Alpha care who some random chick makes out with? Does he have no life of his own?

Ben just snorted, "Why wouldn't he be mad? Some fucker is touching his mate, I know I would be." Ben said it like it was obvious, and I was blind not to see it.

"Well that sucks for his mate, but I'm not his. So I don't really see the problem here." I said.

"I already told you, you don't have to deny it. Seriously it's fine." Ben said, stopping himself from rolling his eyes at the last second; he almost forgot it was his  _Luna_  he was talking to. You don't disrespect a Luna.

"This has to be some kind of mistake, I can't have a mate." I argued, this is getting ridicules.

"Why the fuck not?" He pressed. Ben couldn't understand for the life of him, why the beautiful girl before him would reject his Alpha's claim. Even sulking Alec looked at his Luna confused.

As if I would be with someone who eats their own crap, bloody freaks.

Because I'm a demon, and demons are cruel and dangerous, we use our physical appearance and charm to lure in the pray, but the second you come close enough, the jaws close on you and before you even understand what's going on, suddenly you're stuck and can no longer breathe. It's how we work. Soulless.

That's what I wanted to tell him,  _the truth_ , mostly just to see his reaction. But exposing myself is not an option, and Dae would have my head for it later.

Right now I have to play nice until I can get myself and Damien out of here, which means; No killing anyone, and no exposure.

_Don't you know Princess? The only one you can ever trust is yourself._

I am actually ashamed to admit that a part of me was actually curious to see who this Alpha Aiden guy is, but the bigger part of me just wanted to avoid the creep, what reason could he possibly have to go around telling people we're mates? Too bad I'm a freaking  _demon_ really.

"I just can't, alright." I said, them one of my best fake smiles, not knowing what else to do.

Thankfully, that did the trick, as their eyes became unfocused and they seemed to go in some kind of daze, just staring at me.

Chocking a bit, Ben was the first one to snap out of it, and slap his clone on the shoulder so snap him out too.

"You really are beautiful, you know that right? I see why Aiden is so smitten." Ben had this soft smile on his lips as he said this, looking at me fondly.

"Um... Thanks, I suppose?" My statement came out more like a question, but Alec didn't seem to notice as he hazily nodded in agreement to his clone. What's gotten into them?

In a rather desperate attempt to get them to stop staring at me like pedophiles, it was unnerving really, I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"So guys, where exactly are we?" I asked.

That was enough to snap Ben back to reality, he seemed to be able to recover faster than his clone, and it's odd, really.

"We're in the Alpha's house, Luna, but since you'll be spending quite some time in the pack house with us, we should probably give you a tour." Ben said, gesturing with his hand to his clone and him. Alec seemed to get some of his personality back with that statement and he also perked up.

"That would actually be great if you could do that, and I have a name for a reason, use it." I said, flashing them off both my dimples.

_Knowing the enemy grounds will help you find its weak points._

Alec seemed to approve of my answer, as he grinned from ear to ear, his eyes twinkling. Ben however, was the one stuck in trance, staring at my face. What the hell is wrong with those furfaces?

"Alright  _Princess_ , let's go." Alec gave me a cheeky smile, grabbing my waist before Ben could register what he's doing, and dragging me back through the colorless doors to the room I woke up in.

We walked out the main door, the one that was locked before, and down three flights of stairs out to the front door. I immediately smiled upon feeling the wind on my face once more.

Alec was holding me close to him and whispering amusing things in my ear while I pretended to laugh at them, with scowling Ben walking a step behind us.

When we reached the pack house, Alec proceeded to excitedly tell me about how many floors there were and where each game room, kitchen and dining room was. At some point I realized that none of this information was useful for my mission, so I just stopped listening all together.

After our whole tour around the house, I decided that this place was far from being like the castle we have back in hell, but for a dog pack, this is as good as it's going to get.

Now walking a few steps before Alec and I, Ben lead us back to the game room we passed a few minutes ago on our tour, were a bunch of guys that looked around their age were playing around and yelling at the flat screen on the wall.

"Hey guys, listen up!" Alec hollered, above all the noise in the room.

When the volume of the noise in the room decreased, Alec took that as a sign to continue, "This" Ben pointed at me "is your new  _Luna_ , We brought her down here to have some fun, so make us proud."  
Alec finished, plopping down in one of the couches around the room, and pulling me on his lap; as Ben settled next to us.

"Would you look at that, our very own sleeping beauty has finally awoken, and  _damn_  I'd tap that. The name's Jace, Princess, at your service." A blonde boy walked up to me, and kissed the back of my hand, while making sure to maintain eye contact. This is seduction 101. Amature.

I looked my eyes with his, and titled my head down a bit so I could look up at him through my eyelashes, while executing a perfect half- smile, flashing only my left dimple. Just like my dad taught me.

_Pretending is the perfect art, play them like a fiddle, Dawn._

That action seemed to suck the air right out of Jace's lungs, and by then his eyes were already following my every move, so when I discreetly licked my bottom lip, Jace chocked and his eyes got even wilder then before. Of course he noticed. Like I said, amature.

Jace had tan-almost golden skin and light brown eyes which looked strangely golden too. He was really buff looking was wearing a white bottom up shirt that hugged his muscles with light faded jeans.

Then he was pushed out of the way by a brown haired guy who looked equally tan and a little more buff looking then Jace.

"Jace that's your Luna you fucking moron, if you wanted to get your ass kicked that bad, you could have just called me."  
He said to Jace, smirking with amusement.

I was just about to tell him exactly what I thought about his delusional Alpha, when I was cut off.

"Fuck off, dickhead." Jace spat back at him.

Only then did Jace allow his grip on my hand to loosen a bit, but that was enough for me to pull it back to my side.

The other guy completely ignored him, turning to me, "I'm Liam, Beta of the pack. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Luna." Liam said politely to me.

I gave him a small smile, which was fake. Again.

As much as I sometimes wanted them to, feeling don't come easily to me, at all. So for the most part, I just fake, it saves us both time and energy. And help me get whatever I want.

_Pretending is the perfect art, play them like a fiddle, Dawn._

I made a face at that word. Luna. Gross. As if I'd go for a freaking dog. Downgrade much.

"Don't call that, I have a name, Dawn." I told Liam, turning on my charm. Manipulation at its finest.

It seemed to work, I could clearly see he liked my answer by the way he grinned, showing off the dimple on his right cheek, as his blue eyes sparkled.

He popped down on my other side, on the couch and grinned some more. "I like this one." He said to the other guys, still grinning like a maniac. Freaks, go figure. I resisted the urge to ask what's up with his face, but decided that wasn't the best course of action. The mission must always come first.

"That's Will Harondale, warrior status, but he's not important" Liam said, waving off dismissively at a black haired guy who's sitting on another couch.

Will sent Liam a dirty look and flipped him off, he had light blue eyes and was wearing aa dark fitting shirt that saying  _'Demon Hunter'_  on it with bold letters.

Mentally freaking out by this, I decided to keep my distance with that guy. Freaking mutts.

He had tan skin - just like the rest of the hairballs in this place, it made me feel a little out of place with my extremely pale skin, since there is no sun in the underworld, for obvious reason, my skin is deathly white.

After the initial shock of seeing an actual, living, breathing, female in their precious game room, they all went back to their game and left me to my thoughts. Still sitting on Alec's lap.

To get out of this place I must find Dae first, and for that to happen I have to make them trust me enough to tell me where he is located, for me to be able to break said trust and get the hell out of this place.

_Commit to the fight, you're there to attack, kill, destroy, win._

I got this, right?


	8. # Chapter 7 #

AIDEN:

 

I couldn't sleep, eat or drink for the past 36 hours.

I've been sitting in a chair near my bed, where mate's limp body was lying, not letting go of her hand for even a second.

I have no idea what Dylan had injected her with back in the woods two days ago, but whatever it is- I already beat the shit out of him for it as soon as we got back.

He has been unresponsive ever since, with multiple bruises everywhere, a black eye, and four broken bones.

He is lying in the pack house's infirmary at the moment, and it doesn't look like he's recovering too well from my hits.

Serves him right for touching what's mine.

The rest of the pack are either trying to comfort me or avoid me, too afraid to anger me right now.

Even Michael, my abandoning older brother, came back to town once the news of what happened reached him. He on the other hand, had been trying to get me to rest and eat, but I refused to listen.

I was worried sick for my mate's health, and I wanted to be right there if- no, when she wakes up. She has to wake up.

I haven't heard from my wolf at all, not once - except for the occasional sorrow filled howling at the sight of my mate's weak state. We've failed her.

As I looked down at my mate's motionless form, I brushed a single blonde lock away from her angelic face, and cupping her pale cheek with my hand. She's too pale.

She looked so calm and beautiful when she was like that, like she's in a peaceful sleep.

I've also talked to the pack doctor who came by to check on her, he was very shocked to say the least when he saw Dawn's blood color, but after he took a few samples and tests he said he couldn't detect any poison that has been injected into her system.

Until he figures out what Dylan did to her, he won't be able to treat her accordingly or predict when she might wake up.

What if she doesn't wake up? What then?

This is so unlike me, an Alpha's nature is to be very strong and proud, and the last thing I am is weak.

She has to wake up, and I'm going to be here when she does.

'Alpha we found another two rogues at the south border of the territory, we need you to come and check it out' Liam's voice echoed through my head.

'Can't you take care of it yourself?' I spat at him, why the Hell would I need a Beta if he can't even deal with two rogues on his own?

'They requested your presence Alpha.' he answered calmly, not affected at all by my snappy tone.

'This better be important' I answered through the mind link.

'It seems to be' confirmed Liam.

'I'm on my way.' I took one last glance at my sleeping mate, regretfully letting go of her limp hand and standing up from the chair I have been occupying for the past day and a half.

My wolf was growling lowly at the back of my mind, not happy with the idea of leaving our mate.

I pushed him back, and quickly exited the room before I could talk myself out of it. I knew if I glanced at her again I wouldn't be able to leave.

Walking downstairs I looked for my brother, Michael.

After checking in his old bedroom, where he was staying at the moment, then in the kitchen, dining room and the living room, I found him sitting in the game room with Alec, Ban, Jace and Will.

As soon as Alec spotted me in the room he stared at me wild eyed, then he broke into a full blown grin.

"So? Is the princess awake?" He asked, already sounding excited and looking behind me to see if I'm hiding her. As if I'd hide her, I was just about ready to shout to the whole world that she was mine.

The guys who were playing COD until now, posed their game and turned towards us, and are now silently listening in to our conversation.

"Um, not yet. Anyways Michael can I ask you a favor?" I asked him.

Michael frowned a little, probably sensing something is still horribly wrong.

"What's up, little bro?" he hesitated a little, but nevertheless, looked at me reassuringly.

"Well I have to go take care of some business but the Luna is still asleep, I want you to check on her and bring her some food upstairs, also tell me if she wakes up, alright?" I told him, completely serious.

"Yeah sure man, no problem. I'll go check on her in a minute alright?" He answered immediately, a bit surprised that would trust him alone with my mate. Now that I think about it, this probably wasn't such a great idea. Michael does have a reputation of being unreliable and letting me down.

"Yeah thanks bro." Let's just hope he understands the gravity of the situation and doesn't mess it up.

With that I headed out the back door and into the garden in the direction of the woods.

Once I was deep enough into the woods, I shifted to wolf form then started running to the south border.

The wind blowing though my fur, dodging branches and trees as I stretched my long powerful legs.

~~~~~~~15 minutes later~~~~~~~

Running through the woods always made me feel better, free.

Except this time my wolf was nagging me in the back of my mind, trying to get me to turn around and get back to my mate. It hurt me to ignore him.

When I reached the South border - I smelled them before I saw them.

Their smell was like any other rogue I've come across, a rotten animal who's been dead for weeks in the wild.

When I got to the border I saw Brandon, Matt and John - who are on patrol, circling the two rogue, who are clearly standing out.

By their size they're both male, around the same age, injured and bloody like wild animals. Typical rogue.

When I got to them I shifted out of my wolf skin. John, who was already in human skin, tossed me a pair of shorts.

"Shift!" I commanded in my Alpha tone.

The two man shifted into human form at the same time and looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact. It was a sign of respect, lowering head in submission in front of higher marks.

And rogue were at the bottom of the chain, along with the Omegas.

"You have trespassing into the Dark- Moon territory, state your business here rogues." I said, completely in business mode.

They sheared worried glances between themselves, looking uncertain.

The first one had light brown hair and blue eyes, tan skin and looked about 5'11 while the other had a darker shade of brown hair and green eyes, standing at about 5'9.

They looked very much alike, but the taller one looked older, I suppose they're siblings.

"Well?!" I snarled at them, I don't have time for this, I have a mate waiting for me at home. This is a complete waste of my time.

"W-we were j-just passing through sir." The taller one shuttered nervously. He's scare. As well as he should be.

My pack has a reputation of the biggest, cruelest, and strongest in the US. Also known for how we treat rogues.

My pack has a dark history with them, and we kill as much as we could find. The only reason Dawn's black eyed friend is still in one piece, is because he seems to be the only one holding any kind of information about my Luna.

"Y-yeah, w-we didn't notice w-we were t-t-trespassing." The shorter one stuttered. I guess they're both scared of me.

"And how do I know you two didn't come here to harm my pack?" I asked them, not believing a word they're saying.

They stared at me wild eyes as they realized just how much trouble they're in.

The second one seemed to recover from his shock faster and said

"I-I swear! It w-was a mistake w-we m-mean no h-harm!!" He shattered, clearly panicked.

I didn't bother listening to his heartbeats, to see if he was saying the truth, I really just wanted to go back to my mate and I wasn't in the mood for this.

"Kill them." I simply said to my warriors, It didn't surprise them seeing as this was the usual treatment for rogues.

I turned around and started walking back to the Alpha house, not even flinching at the sounds of necks breaking and bodies hitting the ground.

I could hear the soft thuds of my warrior's feet as they walked in the opposite direction, probably to dispose of the bodies.

'Aiden! I just came into your room to check up on the Luna and she's not here, I mean your bed is empty and I don't know-' Alec's panicked voice evades my head.

Why the hell is Alec the one checking on Dawn? Where the fuck is Michael? Bloody bastard, can't trust him with anything.

As soon as I registered what he was saying, I cut him off.

'What?! Alec what do you mean she's gone?!' I yelled through the mind link.

'I don't know man, I mean Ben and I just came into your room but she's not here dude. Are you sure-' Alec was starting to panic now too.

'Of course I'm fucking sure, Alec! Just go find her. I'm on my way.' I impenitently cut him off again.

I knew it was a bad idea to leave her, now look what happened. Someone could have taken her! The beast in my head roared angrily at the back of my mind.

I am the worst fucking mate. Ever.

I quickly shifted, not caring about the cloths I was wearing, and raced as fast as I could back to the house.

My muscles are burning from the speed, but I ignored the pain. I was still fuming about my mate.

Before I knew it, I at in the Alpha house's back door.

I didn't waste any time, shifting back to my human skin, I used my werewolf speed to get to the top floor, and into my bedroom.

When I came through the door, the room was empty, so I looked for the twin's and Dawn's scents.

It was still lingering there but it was faint, which means they've left about 15 minutes ago.

"Fuck!" I cursed, closing my eye in frustration. Where are they?

It took me about half a second to backtrack and start following my mate's scent out of my house and in the direction of the pack house.

I knew my eyes are turning black by then, but I couldn't care less.

Pack members jumped out of my way as I stormed through the first floor of the pack house, following their scents through different halls.

When I got to the third floor, I could clearly smell my mate's scent getting stronger and much fresher as I got closer to the game room,

I ran into the game room, my wolf snarling furiously as he could feel her presence getting stronger. So close yet not close enough.

I froze in my tracks as my mate's mouthwatering scent overwhelmed me. The feeling of her presence was enough to bring me to my nees. My eyes found her in an instant.

She was sitting next to Liam on the couch, on Alec's lap, as he was flirting like his life depended on it, trying to teach her how to play some video game.

She was holding the second controller in her delicate little hands with her forehead crunched up in the most adorable way as she was trying to figure out the game.

Liam was also flirting, listening to Alec's explanation, he commented on it every once in a while with his hand thrown lazily over the back of the couch, behind Dawn's head.

I could already feel the strong waves of jealousy hitting me. My wolf was still roaring in my head, he was out for blood; and I couldn't say that I wasn't far behind him.

I started shaking uncontrollably as my eyes turned to my wolf's black ones.

"Get your fucking hands off my mate!" I snarled and all heads snapped to me. I have never felt more furious then I did at that moment, the burning feeling spreading though my whole body and I felt like I might explode.

Liam quickly took his hand away while Dawn stood up faster than a blur. I have never seen anything like it, even I can't move that fast. How the hell can she go faster than an Alpha male?

In a blink of an eye I was right in front of her, grabbing her slim waist I took her in my arms, my muscles budging as I hugged her tightly. She might disappear again if I don't.

She made a small sound of surprise as I crushed her into my chest, sparks flying everywhere we touched like pleasant little electricity shocks.

And it was all okay again, because Dawn was here and she was warm and she was safe and she was in my arms and I was holding my mate after so long of waiting for her.

She okay and she was here. With me.

Why the hell wouldn't it all be okay?

She sucked in a breath but relaxed under my touch. I felt like I was in heaven as I buried my face in the crock of her neck, and inhaled as much as I could from her sweet scent.

"Mate. Mine, mine." I repeated against her pale skin. I have never wanted to stop time as much as I had wanted at that moment.

I growled in her ear and pressed my lips to the place where I would soon mark her.  
She shivered under my touch and let out a small pleasant sound, one that only I could hear. I felt myself already getting hard for her and I let out a growl of approval.

Hugging her even tighter so there was no space between up, I rested my chin on top of her head and kissed her hair gently.

"Alright guys keep it PG here will you?" Michael asked laughing.

I growled lowly at him, still not making a move to let go of my mate. Will and Michael laughed at me but I didn't care.

I finally had my beautiful mate in my arms, and I'll be damned if I ever let her go.


	9. # Chapter 8 #

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ********************************
> 
> Greek translation:
> 
> ζωή μου – My life.
> 
> βασίλισσά μου – My queen.
> 
> ********************************

DAWN:

  
I was sitting on Alec's lap, beside Liam on the sofa, holding the controller Jace gave me a while ago in my hands. He, Liam, Ben and Alec were holding more controllers, and Alec and Liam were trying to teach me how to play.

It was some stupid human game and I was failing miserably, then blaming Alec for being a bad teacher and leaning more to Liam's arm behind my head, to annoy Alec, which was on the back of the sofa.

This is the dumbest thing I have ever had the displeasure of participating in, no doubt about that. I couldn't understand for the life of me why they would choose to waste their whole lives playing those silly, unproductive games, just sitting around doing practically nothing.

They could be training, getting stronger and faster and better. Or spending time on some high place, feeling the wonderful wind on their skin. But no, they'd rather sit around staring at fake pretend figures doing fake things and running around a big screen.

I have never sat in one place for so long, doing nothing, and it was driving crazy. My father always made sure I had something productive to do, like training, learning monarchy studies or torturing souls. In my free time I would just spend time with Dae, or train more.

I am too hyperactive to sit around and do practically nothing.

I could feel my knee jumping up and down quickly, almost in a blur. I forcefully stopped it before the mutts could notice.

No wonder mortals aren't the highest on the food chain, they sit around staring at the walls all day.

The only times Liam had stopped staring at me were when he was showing me how to operate the game using the controller, he cleared his throat and tried to show me how to make the little figure in the screen jump. That was when I smelt the most incredible scent I have ever smelt in my life.

It smelt like that time when my dad went up to the surface for business and he brought me back all those tiny things that smelt amazing. He called them berries, and he said that there are so many different kind of them in different colors; he said that the humans eat them.

When I asked why I couldn't eat them like the mortals do, father told me that I would get poisoned, because demons don't consume food, eat like the humans on the surface, and I could die. So I kept them for a while, until they went rotten, and father ordered me to get rid of them.

I could smell the berries now, the amazing smell, and I couldn't get enough of it.

The smell was getting stronger with each passing moment, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath from the addicting scent. Savoring the smell of berries.

Then suddenly the double- doors on the other side of the room flew open and hit the wall with a loud thud, creating cracks on either side of the wall.

In stepped the first guy who might get close to Dae's level on the hotness scale. Which has never happened, like ever. Obviously him being a mortal was a bit of a turn- off, but overall he was as fine as a hairball gets. Almost getting close to Dae's level. Almost.

Dae will always be number one.

He had that sexy, dirty blonde hair and the greenest eyes I have ever seen, I could just stare at them forever, they were so beautiful.   
Not as much as Dae's though.

A slightly crocked nose, probably from fights, which only add to his dangerous appeal, and perfect bow- shaped lips. Freaking hell that guy is hot. But still not enough to overthrow Dae's position as my number one.

He was radiating power in waves and stood tall at about 6'0 with a fair amount of muscles, I swear I could see his six- pack though his shirt.

I mentally scolded at myself for thinking about a werewolf like that, that was so not like me.

I quickly looked down, braking eye contact with him as a sign of respect.

I never like submitting to a dog who I could easily beat up with my demon abilities, since I am genetically empowered, but I don't know what he is capable of so I decided to stay on low profile and play nice. For now.

"Get your fucking hands off my mate!" The guy growled, and all heads snapped to him. Yeah, growled, like some rabid animal.

His hotness level is downgrading every time he opens his mouth.

Liam quickly moved his hand away from me like I burned him, grumbling curses under his breath.

Then his words finally registered in my head, this must be Aiden, the delusional Alpha who claimed to be my mate. What happened? Got tiered waiting for your real one? So much for soul- mates.

It doesn't matter how close he got to Dae's level in the looks department, I would never go for someone who eats his own crap. Freaking fleabag.

I suppose I don't have much of a choice in the matter, seeing as I need to gain this stupid pack's trust to get to Dae, then get out of here. And what better way to finish as quickly and efficiently as possible, then to manipulate the leader.

If I have him wrapped around my smallest finger, then I could basically do anything I wanted, and get away with just about anything. No one could go against his word. He gives out the orders.

Fight. Kill. Destroy. Win.

With that running through my mind I stood up, using my demon speed, while still keeping my eyes on said mutated freak. Even though it was considered a challenge among his kind, the Alpha didn't seem to mind.

By the time I stood up and blurred over to the other side of the couch, the Alpha freak, who was by the door a second ago, was now standing right in front of me. His eyes were black endless pits.

I know what that means from my studies back in the underworld, we were forced to learn about each creature and its weaknesses, so when we torment them in hell we would know what made them tick.

And when a werewolf's eyes are black it signals that its wolf is close to the surface and is fighting for control, he is also more animalistic and unpredictable.

I snapped back to reality by the feeling of two big, strong and warm arms circling around my waist tightly and crushing me into a hard chest. I made a sound of surprise when our skin touched.

I never knew how cold my skin was until I felt the contrast of it, waves of warmth spread around my body everywhere he touched.

I still wasn't used to people touching me so freely, it's weird not being feared to the point of forced isolation, so I just stood stiff in his arms. I felt like I was a soldier standing in attention, just like my father taught me as to soon as I started training.

Alpha Freak didn't seem to notice.

He buried his face in my neck, his warm breath funning over my sensitive skin. I have never felt anything so warm.

I closed my eyes in pure bliss and inhaled as much of the smell of berries as I could. It's odd really, I would have expected for him to smell like some wet dog; or a rotting corpse. Defiantly not berries.

But it was nice, I suppose.

"Mine." Alpha Freak growled in my ear, kissing the sensitive skin on my neck.

I shivered under his touch as the warmth got even more intense. It's just so warm.   
Any hotter and it would start to remind me of that lesson when my dad showed us what salt does to demons, and how it burned just being in a close proximity to that thing- even if I didn't dare touch it myself, how it almost melted the flesh right through Dae's hand, when he did.

It started to burn as I felt his arms tighten their hold on me, as if there was any space left between us to begin with, then kissed the top of my head.

"Alright guys keep it PG here will you?" A guy who introduced himself as Michael earlier, said laughing.

Alpha Freak growled lowly at him, but didn't make a move to let go of me.

Will and Michael just laughed as I squirmed uncomfortably in Alpha Freak's arms, not used to being held this long.   
And I think I started smelling the stench of burning flesh.

The main hairball growled but released me from his hold nonetheless, and I didn't waste any time taking a few steps back.

Whatever you do, don't show the enemy any weaknesses.   
They will find a way to use it against you.

A woman who looked to be around her late fifties strolled into the room, absent- mindlessly inspecting the cracks on the walls, on either side of the doors, and dismissing them like it was a casual occurrence.   
Talk about out of control savage animals.

"Alpha, Luna." The old lady said, bowing her head to Alpha Freak and me. I just raised my eyebrows at her.   
Who the hell was she?

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better Luna, dinner is ready in the dining room. Just like you ordered, Alpha." She said, looking at the floor the entire time. Alpha Freak just nodded to her in acknowledgment.

With that the nameless mortal was dismissed, and she harried out of the game room after one last bow. I doubt where she went is any of my business.

As soon as said mortal disappeared from sight, Will, Jace, Liam and Michael got up and started walking to the door, while Alec and Ben trailed behind me as I started to follow everyone else.

They were still a bit too close for comfort, but I didn't want to push my luck with those animals. They are too impulsive and unpredictable, who knows how they'd react. I suppose this is how mortals show affection, so I didn't comment.

I still have to gain their trust, so I can break it and get me and Dae out of here. I just need them to trust me enough to tell me where they keep Damien.

A furious growl broke me out of my thoughts, and back to reality.

I looked over my shoulder to find a very angry Alpha Freak a couple of feet behind me, he was glaring daggers and Alec and Ben with his wolf's black eyes. I guess they were standing too close.

In seconds he's strong arms were hugging me from behind, and I was engulfed in his overwhelming warmth again.

Dammit you shit eating dog freak, let me go and stop touching me already!

It started burning again. Like salt.

Alpha Freak buried his head in my neck and took a deep breath, his breath fanning the base of my throat as he growled softly.

"Mine, only mine." He mumbled against my skin. "Nobody touches what's mine." He glared at the clones.

Despite my discomfort of anything touching me, and the painful burning sensation everywhere he touched, I managed to hide my weakness and force my muscles to relax, to portray the illusion of enjoyment from his touch.

Simple manipulation.

When he saw that Ben and Alec were backing off, Alpha Freak's arms around me loosened to the point where he dropped one of them completely, the other however, still stayed firmly on my waist as he positioned himself at my side.

This reminded me of how Dae sometimes holds me, like he never wants to let me go.

At least Dae doesn't feel like he's made of freaking toxic salt.

Convince them Dawn, this is like child's play for you, you have to play along. Do it for Dae.

Mind over matter Dawn, work through the burn, you got this.

I mentally panicked, but then remembered I'll be leaving soon so I don't have to worry about this for long.

All it takes is just simple manipulation.

And so we walked out of the game room, Alpha Freak's hand holding my waist possessively, pressing my side to his; and the clones walking a step behind me on my other side.

Just act, Dawn. You got this.

I pushed all of my discomfort aside, and plastered on my best fake smile.

***********************************

"So, little Luna, where exactly did you say you were from?" Michael asked, trying to battle the awkward silence that suffocated the fancy dining room. Aiden didn't seem to notice it all that much, since he was too busy staring at me. Obsessive furball.

"Somewhere far away." I didn't care for his questions much, but I figured openly displaying my indifferency wouldn't be the best strategy.

It was just the three of us now, Michael, the Alpha Freak and me. All the rest were left back at the pack house, while we ate the meal the nameless lady cooked in the extravagant Alpha house. Snobby dogs.

I kept playing with my untouched food on my plate, moving it around on my plate. I don't eat human food. Demons can't eat human food. We would get poisoned and die.

Alpha Freak's arm was around the back of my chair now, his body radiating warmth. Scorching hotness. Like salt body burning.   
His chair practically joined with mine, that's how close he forced us be. I hated it. I even tried to pray him off, but he wouldn't budge.

So instead of exposing my cover and using my demonic powers to rip his head off, I decided not to freak out and do my best to ignore his presence.

Self- control is all it takes. If you're already the one controlling yourself, then no one else can.

I just have to follow my father's orders, as I was always ordered to, and I will come out victorious.

So I just ignored him.

Ignored our closeness that's making me jittery.

Ignored the hand burning my skin off, resting around my shoulders.

I just ignored him, and I can tell he's less than pleased.

Alpha Freak is sitting at one end- a respectable spot usually reserved for the Alpha in the lunar obsessed freak's culture, I'm sitting on his right hand side and Michael sitting on the opposite end.

A rough hand squeezes my shoulder from behind me. I look up at the offending Alpha Freak questionably, why is he so freaking tall?

Said fleabag just frowns at my untouched plate of human food I don't care to identify.

"Aren't you hungry babe? You should eat, you haven't ate in a while." His worried gaze switching to me, and he rubbed my shoulder in what should be pleasantly.

"Don't you like chicken? I asked the help to make us a something simple. Holy shit, are you a vegetarian? Why am I such a damn fuck up, I mean, you don't really look like the type so I just assumed-" He looked genuinely remorseful, but I wasn't offended. For that I'd have to stop being apathetic, but I couldn't care less about what he thought or did.

It didn't matter to me. He was none of my concern.

I just shook my head, affectively cutting him off. Absolutely uninterested in what more he had to say.

The dude was clearly delusional, his mistake wasn't forgetting to ask if I'm a vegetarian, which I suppose I technically am, since I don't eat any human food and that includes animal meat.

No. His mistake was choosing the wrong demon to involve in his pathetic schemes. I mean, a pretend mate? That's low even for mutts.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're one of those weird girls who refuse to eat in front of others." Michael said, but when I gave him a blank look, he was quick to elaborate.

"You know, so they won't look fat in front of dudes?" He sounded less confident this time, but equally as confused. I can see where he's coming from, female mortals really are odd.

Don't they need to consume that food in order to survive? Do mortal boy starve themselves too? Are they really that unintelligent that they would starve themselves for no apparent reason?

I guess I know less about mortals then I originally believed, this only proves father right. All mortals are stupid. I should have listened, it would have saved me some time.

"Why would I do that?" I was honestly curious.

"I don't know, why do other girls do that?" he seemed to genuinely don't know the answer. Even their own kind doesn't understand them, this whole situation is bizarre.

"Why don't you ask them?" I was done with this conversation, it was clear he didn't know any more than I did.

"Fair enough." Michael said.

"Why aren't you eating then, ζωή μου?" The Alpha freak decided to intervene. I couldn't believe he was trying to impress me with showing off his Greek. Even if he just called me his life.

"I'm just not hungry." I said, the last thing I wanted was to elaborate.

"You haven't eaten in more the two days, you need to eat ζωή μου." Alpha Freak insisted.

I couldn't tell him this human food will make me sick, and possibly poison me. He's a mortal, he won't understand.

"I said, I'm not hungry, or do you only understand Greek now?" I asked in a flat, uninterested tone. I couldn't be bothered to fake some emotions into it.

I could have sworn Alpha Freak's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, it looked extremely strange, I have never seen anything like that before. Is it supposed to be doing that? Can all mortals change their skin's color, or just the noisy Alphas?

"I understand English just fine, thanks." He mumbled.

"Then what's so difficult to understanding, I'm just not hungry." I repeated. I hate repeating myself. Those mutt just rubs me in all the irritating places.

There was an awkward for a few moments after that, Alpha Freak's cheeks were still changing colors and Michael just looked amused.

"How do you live then, you know, without food and all?" Even I could see Michael was only trying to see how many different shades his brother's face could turn, and by this point I was a bit intrigued too.

Though I wasn't really sure how to respond to that question, I mean, technically, demon aren't alive.

Most demons were mortals who died, and went to hell to pay for their sins, then after a few decades and a whole lot of torture, the souls become so black and twisted, and a demons is made. That's why we call them Turned Demons.

I'm a Pure Blood, just like Damien, so we were never human. Purely born demons and raised in hell.

But like all demons, we're not alive, my heart was never beating and I never felt the need to breathe oxygen. And dead people don't eat, so there's that too.

Which crosses the 'strangling' out of the Ways to kill Dawn list.

But I could never tell them something like that, they're mortals, they won't understand. They'll try to kill me as soon as they hear it, and when they figure out they can't, they'll go after Damien.

And that's not an option.

The Alpha Freak's ears were now changing colours too, he reminded me of this top- side animal I learned about in my studies with Dae, a chameleon, I think.

Are all half wolf mutants related to the chameleons? Does this make them half- wolf half- chameleon mutants? Does my father know about this too?

"Princess?" It was Alpha Freak this time, he was mostly back to his original skin colour, but kept staring at my face in concern.

"Don't call me that, you mutant." I said, glaring at him. Princess is Dae's. He's the only one who gets to call me that.

Both mutts just raised their eyebrows at me, but looked equally offended.

"Right, um, sorry. Dawn? I can call you that right?" Alpha Freak said, he honestly looked, well, freaked out. The irony.

"I'd rather you didn't call me anything at all, but if you must, then I guess." I said, rolling my eyes at him.

"I'll take that as a yes." He mumbled.

"Is there anything else we should know about you Dawn?" Michael said, trying to save the awkward dinner.

"No." Yes, but I'm not going to tell any of that.

"Are you sure?" Michael didn't look convinced.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Will he stop asking questions? It's obvious I'm not going to answer any of them.

"What are you?" The question Alpha Freak this time.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said, there is no way I'm going to tell them that.

"Well, you're not human," I scrunched up my face at that. "You're obviously not a werewolf," Gross. "Or a witch."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"We can tell, by the different scents." Michael butted in for Alpha Freak.

Do they always sniff people to figure out their specie? Is that a mutt thing?

"So the big question is, what are you, Dawn?" Michael said, him and Alpha Freak were both burning wholes in my head with their gaze.

"I'm not allowed to tell, exposure is against our law." I said, and that is all they're going to get out of me, which isn't really anything at all.

It's not exactly a lie either, that and the fact that you'd kill me if you ever found out.

"And that guy we found you with, is he like you?" Alpha Freak asked. Why are we talking about this again?

"Yes, he is just like me." I said, already feeling the small smile unconsciously forming, the same one I always have when I think about Dae.

"And where exactly, are you keeping him?" I asked, looking pointedly between the two.

When it looked like they're just going to ignore my question, I put my hand on Alpha Freak's thigh, and started rubbing small circles with my finger, just like Dae does to calm me down. I leaned my head in his shoulder widened my eyes, looking directly into his eyes I parted my lips slightly.

Ignore the burn Dawn. Work through it.   
The mission must always come first.

"Please? Who am I going to tell?" I asked in the softest, most innocent voice I could physically make my body produce. Michael chocked on air, looking at me with wide eyes and mouth open.

Alpha Freak's eyes were even wider, and he just froze with his mouth ajar.

I bit my lip slightly, and that seemed to snap him out of it.

"Yeah, sure, of course I'll tell you, anything you want to know," Alpha Freak coughed out, refusing to take his eyes off me as he talked, like I'll disappear, and he's hand over my shoulder tightened. "He's at the-" He chocked in the middle of the sentence, my head was still resting on his shoulder and I looked up at him through my eyelashes, which is about when he lost the ability to speak, and just stared at me like he wants to lock me away somewhere no one will ever find me.

"Aiden!" Michael snapped out of his own trance, and gave Alpha Freak a pointed look. His eyes found me almost immediately after that.

Alpha Freak didn't even spare him a glance, he kept staring at me like he wants to eat me. Only he looked just about ready to fight to the death now, fight anyone who tries to make him take his eyes off me or let me go.

Alpha Freak squeezed me even tighter to his side, and started rubbing my forearm. It felt weird, not like how Dae does it, just really uncomfortable. And scorching, flesh melting hot. I hate mutts.

"He's at the-" He tried to say again, his voice even softer, but Michael cut him off this time.

"Are you tired Aiden? It's late, you should be tired; I know I am. Why don't you take your-" Michael's voice trailed off as his eyes found me, but his mouth stayed slightly ajar. I wrinkled my forehead, what's wrong with him?

Michael coughed, clearing his throat, "-you're, um, lovely mate over there upstairs to your room so you two can get some rest, huh? Yeah, that's a good idea, I'm going to do that too. Good, um, good night-" Michael was just rumbling now. He coughed. "I'm, I'm just going to go now." He said, pointing towards the staircase outside the open dining room door.

"I guess..." mumbled Alpha Freak. "Come on, ζωή μου." He said, pulling me up to stand with him.

I suppose I'll figure it out on my own then.

****************************************

I was sitting on edge of the bed I woke up on, fumbling with and pulling apart the sawing on the fabric stretched across the object, probably destroying it.

Alpha Freak sighed as he leaned on the doorpost in his room, looking completely worn out. He gazed at me on his bed, the left corner of his lips forming tagging up until he was smiling softly at me. His eyes filled with longing and adoration.

He didn't hold my attention for very long though and I didn't even bother sending back a fake smile his way, to keep up the act. My gaze swept right across him, passing over his figure and returning back down to the edge of the fabric that entertained me more than he did.

I'm not used to sitting around doing nothing for this long, a minute I have not used to get better, is a minutes wasted.

Back home, father always had something for me to do, train or get better at. Dae and him knew about my short attention span and over-activeness so they made sure to keep me busy, because bad things had a tendency to happen when I get bored.

"Do you want something to sleep in?" Alpha Freak asked, breaking the silence that settled around us.

"No, I'm fine." I said absently, only half listening. He bores me.

"Are you sure? That dress does not look very comfortable to sleep in, I could lend you some of my cloths, it's not any trouble at all-" I cut Alpha Freak's babbling off, before it gave me my first headache.

"I don't sleep, furface." I said. It was a fact, not up for negotiation or open to discussion.

"Wha- what?" Alpha Freak chocked out, "What do you mean, you don't sleep?" He continued after he saw that I wasn't interested in answering his stupid questions.

"Exactly what I said." I said. Still looking at the fabric, my voice detached.

"How the fuck can you not sleep?" He just seemed really confused now.

Am I really that hard to understand? I really didn't say anything complicated. And he should learn to stop asking so many questions, where I come from, it would get him killed.

"I just don't." What's dead can't sleep, it's not that hard to comprehend. Stop questioning your orders, mutt.

"Um, okay, if you say so. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to get a couple of hours of shut eye, just wake me up if you need anything, alright?" Alpha Freak said, falling back on the bed as I stood up, eyeing the clear double doors on the left side of the room. The ones who lead outside, to the high place with the surface of the top- side view and the wind.

Not dignifying him with an answer, I just looked the transparent doors, itching to be up on the high place and feel the wind on my skin. I love the wind. I love the feeling I get when I'm up there, and the whole world is at my feet, unstoppable, invincible, safe.

Similar to the feeling I get around Dae.

I didn't even glance at the mutant as he stripped almost completely, and stuffed himself under the fabric I was messing with earlier.

My eyes flickered back to Alpha Freak as he pressed his lips together in thought, probably having an internal battle with himself.

His eyes flickered from me to the place besides him on the bed, then back to me again.

"Βασίλισσά μου, come here." He said, sounding more tired than he looked. Mentally tired.

I looked at him in confusion, but forced my body to move closer to the creature and sit on the opposite side of the bed.

"Please come to me." He said softly. What's wrong with him?

I scooted closer to his form under the fabric, and when I was in his arm's reach, his hand wrapped around my waist and gently pulled me down to lay pressed against him.

I craned my neck in his direction and raised my eyebrows, feigning emotion.

His arm tightened around my waist, an act of defiance to show me he doesn't plan on ever letting go.

Painful hot scorching feeling burned through my body as he tucked my head under his chin protectively and kissed the top of my head. I had to fight the instinct to snap his neck, that's Dae's move.

I tried to wiggle my way out of this hold but I only got him to tighten his arms around me and growl lowly in my ear.

"If you don't stop moving ζωή μου, you are going to find yourself very mated, very soon." He said. I could feel his blistering hot breath fanning against my skin, and I hated it. It hurt me.

I immediately froze, the last thing I want is to do that with a growling furball.

"Mine, all mine" He mumbled, most likely to himself. I wouldn't have even heard him if it wasn't for my heightened senses.

It felt odd, being called his. I have only ever been Damen's for longer than I could remember, but I never wanted anything to change, neither of us did. We were happy. I am happy in Dae's arms and I feel incredible when he's around me.

That's different from the Alpha Freak, his touch is so hot it feels like it's painfully burning through my skin, like salt, and salt is toxic to demons so that means him and his touch and his warmth is toxic to demons and I am a demon to he's toxic to me.

Everything he says just make me feel like I'm talking with someone less and less intelligent. I don't feel comfortable in his arms like I do with Dae, with him it feels like a mission, something I'm forced to do. Orders I have to follow.

With Dae... I never want to leave Dae's arms. But I have to keep up the performance and gain this pack's trust, so I could feel said arms around me again.

So I waited, I watched him close his eyes and waited until his breath evened.

And when he finally fell asleep, I quickly switched places with one of the pillows around me, leaving it in my place.

After checking over to make sure the beast is still asleep, I soundlessly walked towards the see-though doors. They were unlocked, again.

Learning from your mistakes is very important, but if you fail and keep making the same ones, then you must be suffering from this learning disability called stupidity

This time it was Dae's voice ringing though my mind, reminding me of our lessons with my father, when I couldn't get the answer right. Reminding me of how much I miss him.

I thought about him as I climbed over to the edge of the railing, closer to the direction the wind was coming from, and sat on the edge of the fence.

Looking up as the sky change from the sunset, to a dark blue color full of sparkling stars, I've never seen anything like this. I never want to stop looking at it.

The wind in my hair, the shining stars in the distance and the indescribable feeling that being on the high place gives. I never want to leave this place. This moment.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ********************************
> 
> Greek translation:
> 
> ζωή μου – My life.
> 
> βασίλισσά μου – My queen.
> 
> ********************************


	10. # Chapter 9 #

DAWN:

 

The cool green grass felt calming under my bare feet as I silently walked across the back garden of the pack house at 2:00 am, trying to find the entrance of the prison chambers in the dark. 

The lack of light didn't bother me the slightest, I actually found the shadows comforting and inviting - I guess it has to do with the fact that I grew up in Hell, where there is no sun.

My royal tattoo is slightly glowing on the outside of my left foot, three stars under my ankle and going up decorate my deathly pale skin- now visible. One for each of the realms, Heaven, Earth and Hell.

I was born with this mark, identical to my father's, the only other with royal blood through his veins.

Damien has a marking similar to mine on his chest, right above where the human heart should have been. Since he's my Royal Guardian, the mark is used to represent our connection.

After what seems like hours of just sitting on the edge of the high place's fence, enjoying the wind blowing through my hair and that amazing rush I get when I see the whole world just spread out in front of me. Like there is nothing I can't do.

I was thinking about everything and nothing, admiring the tiny shining dots laid out across the dark sky, and wondering why in the world do humans always sleep through the most beautiful part of the day.

After much analyzing and thinking of the most strategic plan for the immediate future, Dae's and I's immediate future, I figured that if we ever plan on getting out of this place then the longer we wait the more damage we will end up enduring. The best thing we can do is escape, like yesterday.

The night is silent, not even my footsteps are heard as I stare at the sky, the darkness stretching over my head, giving me a false sense of protection and leaving me alone with my thoughts.

And right now that is a dangerous thing to do.

Worry overcame me as doubts filled my mind like flashes in rapid speed, temporarily blinding me. I know that Damon's more than capable of handling himself in less than ideal situations, he could resist the most modern torture techniques and even knows how to make himself forget his own name on command, in case he ever fell prisoner of war to the enemy.

I know that because I went through those same training sessions along with him.

I have the upmost faith in Dae's abilities and strength of mind, but I would never be able to forgive myself if anything horrible happened to him when I could have stopped it. Where I come from, we take care of our own, and Dae's family.  
What a better time to make a move then tonight?

A cry of an owl pierced through the silent night, all of my already umped up senses were hyper aware and alert of the smallest movement in the shadows, the smallest sound.

I was just wandering around the property, walking aimlessly through the thin trees and hoping I find something worth looking into. The plan was to look for a lead on my own tonight, since I don't sleep ether way, and if I don't manage to find anything useful enough by the time the sun is up, I will force the information out of the Alpha Freak just like only the heir of Hell knows how. Screw exposure and screw my father's anger, Damon's wellbeing is the priority. That and leaving this awful place.

I could barely make out the outline of the house in the distance by now, even with my naturally hyper sensitive senses, but I kept walking until I reached a large man- made looking clearing in the forest.

Talk about suspicious.

I wondered into around the middle of the clearing, still extra alert of my surrounding. At first glance the place looked empty, except for those tiny annoying flying animals that seem to be everywhere on this toxic planet. But when I focused my super senses on every last detail on the ground, every single strand of grass, there seemed to be a patch whoever created this place missed.

Amateur human mistake.

Around the middle of the clearing was a spot that didn't have any wildlife growing on it, a square sized patch of flawed human mistakes.

I will forever wonder why my grandfather insisted that those mortals were such a success.

I leaned down and dusted off some of the dirt that covered the metal square in the ground. I know I'm still new to this place and all, but that does not look like it should be there.

After dusting it off a bit more, I found a handle with several locks on it. They looked considerably strong, but not enough to stop me. Never enough to stop me.

Apart from the mandatory demonic powers all my kind possesses which include fast healing, advanced senses, super speed and strength. Every demon develops one more gift when they hit puberty- that gives me about three years already to master said skill to perfection.  
Each one of us gets a different gift, sometimes it depends on the person's personality, it could be passed down in the family heritage, and sometimes it the gift is completely random.

There are rare cases in which the demon child does not develop a gift at the appropriate age, and it is looked down upon and brings shame to the family name. Like a werewolf child who never shifted when the rest of the kids did, they are casted out in sociality at most cases.

I got my gift two years after Dae got developed mind control, we tested it out with my dad to see how strong it can get and what are his limits, and it turned out to be a more advanced version of compulsion.

He can not only bend your mind and actions to his will but can also twist your memory, make you forget them or create new ones. Safe to say it's a pretty awesome gift.

My dad was bursting with pride when I got my gift a year early, and he wouldn't stop showing my new telekinesis off, I was about ten in human years and Dae was 13 when it happened, we thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Both Damon and my dad helped me control it, make it stronger, in the end it turned out pretty useful, only downside is that glass had a tendency to break when I'm mad. You can imagine the amount of damage that caused throughout the years.

The major problem in all of this is we all have to let our powers loose pretty often in order to survive, otherwise all that pent up, powerful energy will destroy us inside out. The only reason our bodies manage to contain this kind of raw energy in the first place is because we're physically strong, but even we can only hold it inside for so long before it kills us.

That's where the hours of practice every day come in, if we don't let the energy out then it will damage us from the inside, our organs will suffer the destruction and in result we will start getting significantly weaker, the second phase is coughing up blood, then the last phase is death.

That's another reason I'm so desperate to find Damien as soon as I can, who knows when was the last time he let his gifts take control?

I know Dae, and I know that he would never expose his kind like that, showing those mutts his gifts is the worst kind off exposure, and will be treated to treason. Damon is too loyal to everything that we stand for to become a traitor.

I refuse to let him die for his faithfulness.

After yanking the locks off the metal door with my demon strength, I pulled up the surprisingly heavy old trap door, and peered inside.

It was pitch black in there, and I thanked my lucky stars I could see better in the darkness then at daylight. There were twirling stairs going down for as long as the eye could see, but despite the luck of light that I have learned seem to bother the mortals, the place looks taken care of and well maintained. The walls clean and there was no dust on the floor- which showed just how frequently this place is being used, which apparently is frequently enough.

Talk about having something to hide.

Pulling the door closed behind, I stepped down the dark staircase, the lack of light providing a safety blanket around me, if no one can spot me then I'm not vulnerable to enemy attack.

I walk silently down the steps, my feet still never making a sound and the darkness keeping me invisible to the untrained eye. The only part of me standing out is my royal tattoo, three slightly glowing stars moving around in the dark. It can prove to be a hindrance sometimes but there isn't really a way to get rid of it, seeing as it's engraved into my genetic code.

It doesn't worry me for the most part, it's not glowing strong enough for a mortal eye to spot it unless the fool is deliberately is looking for it. However, someone with enhanced senses like mine, like those with demon blood in them, would notice it without even trying. I doubt this pack had managed to score some demonic muscle into their ranks, but I can't afford to let those anomalies catch me off guard. Can't afford to disappoint my father.

Never underestimate your opponent, it will be your downfall Dawn.

The staircase was twisting and twirling around itself, and after a few minutes of quietly walking underground, I reached the last curve.

At the bottom of the staircase stood two buff looking werewolves, each armed with automatic guns, leaning against the wall talking quietly under a single light bulb, taped on said wall. So much for no security.

Staying hidden, covered in the shadows, I hid behind the corner, my back to the wall and my eyes following their every movement. They don't even seem to notice my presence, that just shows how poorly trained they are.

To their left is a door, diagonally from my location, on the other side of the room. I have to get to that door.

It doesn't look locked, and the so called guards aren't even watching it. Should be easy enough to get past them.

What are those deranged deformities are even hiding down here that requires guards with live fire watching the entrance anyways?

Keeping to the shadows, I observed them for a little while longer from my hiding place, and when it looked like they weren't planning to leave- or move at all, for that matter, I figured I'd have to make them disappear myself.

I miss doing things without having to worry about blowing my cover.

Summoning my telekinesis, I focused on the familiar cool of energy running through my veins, all that power spreading in my bloodstream and rushing in my body and freezing everything from the tip on my scull to every last one of my toes.

It was making me dizzy, high off the adrenaline and excitement that never gets old, no matter how many times I use my gift.

My father always insisted it is always important to stay very calm and keep any feelings in check while using my gift, or it might get out of control and cause way more damage than I was planning on, or anyone else could handle.

I have never been brave enough to use my gift alone before, only ever around my father in training or with Dae. My gift is a very powerful one and it has the potential to cause a whole new level of destruction if I didn't control it properly.

So taking a deep breath and quietly sighing in content, I felt the side of my mouth tugging up a little bit. Stay calm Dawn, control it, you got this.

I focused on the cool tingling feeling that felt like it ran deeper than my bones, I closed my eyes and directed it all to my fingertips. I imagined standing with my father in the training room, just like we do in practice, I can almost feel his cold hand on my shoulder and his voice ringing through my ears, encouraging me not to be scared.

You can do it Dawn, I know you are strong enough to control it, do not be afraid.

And with my father's words in mind, I knew I could never be afraid.

Pushing as much of the energy as I can to my hand, I felt them growing very cold, very quick, but all the energy buzzing inside them made sure they were anything but numb. I opened my eyes and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I got this.

Looking around the corner at the two guards who are still chatting among themselves like amateurs, I managed to keep most of my focus on my freezing palms.

This has to be silent, there might be more guards outside behind that door, and I can't let my presence be known. At least not just yet.

Closing my eyes again slowly I concentrated on the growing power moving underneath my skin, I pointed one pulsing hand in the direction on the guards and imagined very clearly in my mind the actions I wanted the two figures around the corner to commit, then I quickly and sharply twisted my wrist.

Snap.

The loud, sharp sound of multiple bones breaking pierced through the soundless night, followed by the sound of two heavy bodies carelessly dropped to the ground in a heap.

Targets eliminated.

So much for silent though.

After peaking around the corner one last time to make sure I don't find any surprises, I quickly sidestepped around my hiding place. Scanning through the room one last time for any threats I might have missed, I quietly walked towards the two corpses laying on the ground to inspect the damage. Or talent, there is two ways to look at this. I thought to myself, suddenly feeling giddy.

I didn't even have time to think about crouching down on the floor to get a proper look at my work, as my heightened demon senses instinctively kicked in before I had any time to think start about it.

My eyesight zoomed in on their bodies, showing everything in extreme, lab level, magnifying glass details, and immediately finding their fatal wounds.

Both their necks have been snapped in the exact same spot, it was clean, precise, no unnecessary blood spill, no sign of straggle. They never even saw it coming.

Father would be proud.

Standing straight like the royalty my father taught me to be, and gazing down at the two mutt bodies at my feet, I made sure not to come in touching distance. I mean, gross.

I guess I should probably feel something for what I've just done, anything at all, sadness, triumph, shame, happiness, pride, anything. But I don't feel any different then I always do, same old nothingness. They were in my way so I made sure they weren't anymore. I eliminated the problem.

I made sure not to come in contact with the dead wolf mutants as I stepped over the corpses in two long, silent strides. They might be dead, but I'm not risking it, I could still catch something.

I didn't bother glancing back to their blank faces and empty stares as I stepped through the door I was trying to reach all along. Unfortunately, they would still be there when I get back, it's not like they're going somewhere.

Mission accomplished.

The air is silent as I walk through the not-so-narrow-anymore dark hallway, my bare feet against the rough, oddly clean, pavement floor. The old stone walls hardly have any dirt on them either, this place must really be frequently used. I wonder else is down here.

I really hope I find at least some kind of lead on Damon's location, somewhere in this creepy little place, so that this whole trip wouldn't be a total waste of time.

From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of my shadow reflecting on the opposite wall to one of the torches' light, which was glued to one side of the wall as I turned left in yet another corner.

I swear this place is like a freaking maze.

The pupils in my eyes keep darting around all over the place, taking in as much as they manage to before jumping to the next object. My body is tense, ready for a fight, staying on high alert and walking in quick steps without making a sound, in case someone is around to hear.

Making another two sharp turns to the right and passing by a couple of door that looked like they would turn into dust if I breathed too close to them, I checked the inside of the rooms for anything interesting- or Damon related, but coming up short with only old offices and a few storage rooms.

Just as I was about to deem this whole trip a useless waste of time and turn back around the way I came from, I realized I have no idea where that is.

I looked around me, trying to identify some sort of sign that would remind me of the way back, but this whole freaking place looks exactly the same. Same walls, same clean floor, same dark hallways and same freaking torches stapled to the walls every once in a while. I can't believe I'm lost.

Awesome. Just freaking awesome.

A round turn left, three more rundown doors and two turns right later I found myself standing in front of two, clearly locked, large steel stainless double doors. Each has a big sign in clear, bold letters.

 

The first one states:

NightCrawler Penitentiary

Low risk prisoners. Cells 0 – 249.

 

I looked over to the second one:

NightCrawler Penitentiary

High risk prisoners. Cells 250 – 499.

 

Wait, penitentiary? Isn't that just a fancy word for prison? I'm in their jail?

Holy shit. I cannot believe my luck, the pack prison is the most logical place for those imbeciles to hold Dae, and I accidently just happened to stumble across it. And kill the two front guards.

Fat chance of the Alpha Freak being happy about that.

I could feel the excitement building up in my stomach, it's been a while since I've felt this good, this alive. I can't wait to see Dae again, we've hardly ever been away from each other for this long, for as long as I could remember.

Focusing on bringing forward my gift for the second time tonight is harder than the first time, simply because it takes me longer to clear my head and calm down for long enough to start feeling the coldness seeping through my bones and spreading fast.

Though it does come quicker this time, I have stopped holding back, stopped being afraid my gift, what it has the ability to do if I lose control. I just focus on not losing control.

The frizzing tingling in my hands come pretty fast after that, and I positioned my hands so both my palms are facing the big, heavy looking lock on the door to my left. I imagined the lock snapping in two, the sound it would make, how it would feel happening right under my fingertips, visualized clearly it in my mind. And concentrated.

Right before my eyes, cracks started appearing all the way through the length of the lock, my arms kept tingling but I ignored the powerful feeling, and the cracks grew deeper until the metal piece just broke in half. Just like in my mind.

Two pieces of stainless steel stood floating in midair, in direct line to my open palms, until I closed them. The tingling feeling gradually stopped and my arms got less cold, and the two pieces of what was once a strong lock dropped to the ground, clanking noisily.

I felt the same cool emptiness I usually did after using my powers, as I pushed open the large double doors and stepped inside.

Damon wouldn't have beaten them up to the point of exposure, but he's still a demon, and I know demons. Even better, I know Dae, and he wouldn't have made it easy on any of those freaks.

High-risk prisoners it is then.

This hallway wasn't much different than the ones I have been wandering around in the last few hours, just as dark and cold, emptier maybe, it didn't have any old offices or random abandoned room, just one long hallway. Dirtier too, the floor was dusty and the paint on the stone walls was peeling off, spider webs in every available corner.

I suppose this part of the prison doesn't really get much visitors, and then again, this is the High-risk prisoner's cells, so it would make sense. The residents here are probably considered too dangerous to get visiting hours. Or meals.

I kept silent as I turned another corner in this maze of a prison, my eyes darting to all direction in speed incomprehensible to the human eye, keeping alert and looking for danger.

As I walk forward, deeper along the many halls, the more noticeable is the smell of sweat, blood, and death. It grows stronger and stronger until it almost overwhelms me with a feeling of nostalgia and homesickness.

How bad could this place be that it reminds me of home? Hell is bound to be dark and practically ooze death, but what's up with this place?

Voices groaning in pain and shuffling on the ground catch my attention as soon as I overcome the sudden homesickness.

On the wall to my left there is a whole collection of weapons and torture devices, all hung up on the wall for display, but as I focused closer on them I could tell that they weren't just for that, as they were the only places on the wall without any dust on them. They are obviously being used regularly.

Some of them were old fashioned, and remind me of the ones we have back home, such as special types of hammers, silver knifes and daggers. But most of said impressive collection had more of a twenty first century, such as different types of guns, teasers and electrical chairs.

Whoever this place belongs to, sure has a unique strategy of integrating prisoners for information. Or curing boredom, which works too.

Walking around the countless old fashioned holding cells, I scanned the area for anything useful, some of said cells were empty, others held different wolf shifters in them, all injured.

Old and fresh blood, bruises and injuries cover every inch of their dirty skin. All look too thin to be fed very often and too pathetically miserable to be treated well.

What did those petty miscreations even do to get locked up down here in the first place?

In the front of each cell there were, what I assume to be, silver bars, inside it is a small, narrow window blocked by the same kind of bars, a rusty old bucket in the corner, and a dirty mattress that looks older than me.

Their state of health, fatal injuries and amount of blood everywhere barley fazed me. I've seen way worse, even inflicted way worse myself.

I grew up in Hell, a place all about punishing the sinful and all those who deserve it. If those mutts here are paying for their crimes then I can't find it within myself to even feel sorry for them.

Maybe if I say it enough times I'll finally convince myself, that it's not just me trying to find excuses for why I stay numb when I should be feeling.

And as I walked by myself along the line of prisoners, looking for my specific black eyed one, the captured freaks' eyes seem to follow my every movement, glaring at me with everything that they had, which evidently, wasn't much.

Keeping the normal passive look on my face and my eyes completely empty, I made my way further down the hall to where the prisoners look more dangerous, at least they were more dangerous, before whoever runs this place came in and tortured the life out of them.

I should really have a chat with him if he wanders in here, should be an interesting conversation, we could exchange strategies and torture tactics. We could even actually bond over this. Right up until I have to rip his lungs out for knowing too much about my cover then he should.

It gets a bit quieter when I walk down further to where the cells are all empty, which is odd, because this place obviously has more prisoners then the more pathetic looking ones I just passed. If I pay attention to my heightened senses, I could hear more of them.

So this seems like a distance barrier between those prisoners and the next ones down the line, and after I pass the bunch of empty cells I get to the very last one in the corner.

No windows and isolated far from all the others, this prison cell just screams that the prisoner he's holding is a danger even to the rest of the captures.

As I walk closer, I could start to make the shape of a man, laying down on the extremely uncomfortable make-shift bed in the far corner, with his hands under his head in a relaxed manner, he didn't look at least worried about his situation, just staring and the celling. Waiting.

As I got closer I started to noticed more details; his familiar pitch black hair laid messily on his head, his dark cloths, his impossibility pale skin that could compete with my own, his completely black eyes that I've missed so much and the expressionless look on his face defining the only person in the world that I would go through all this trouble for.

One of the few that could get me to feel. My Dae.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

D A M I E N:

 

Ever since I got here, the mutts have been keeping me in a cell that's far away from the rest, they think I'm beyond dangerous, probably because no matter what, they can't figure out what specie Dawn and I are.

I don't mind being isolated from the all the other living souls in this place, I've never really seen much of mortals- but the bit that I have had the displeasure of meeting, haven't left the best of impressions.

If it was up to me, we would have never left Home to come to this rotten place, I don't understand for the life of me why would Princess Dawn choose to visit those filth's willingly.

The King surly wouldn't approve, but who am I to tell the girl of my dreams what she can and can't do. For centuries now, she's got me rapped around her little finger, ever since she was a cute, harmless- looking little baby demon and I was assigned to be her Royal Guardian.

Every day, a different but admittedly equally cocky wolf shifter comes down here to the dungeons and tries to 'interrogate' me. They would each use different torture techniques on me, hoping I would finally crack and tell me what Dawn is and where we both came from.

I hardly think they're that interested in anything to do with me, it's Dawn who they're always asking about. Information about the royal Princess I am not in any position, nor would I ever want to give.

It is obvious to everyone that Princess Dawn doesn't have to suffer the same treatment as I do, judging by the way the Alpha Mutt reacts whenever her topic is brought up.

It's pathetic really, his eyes would light up at the smallest mention of her name, and he gets this adoring look on his face, and he also gets incredibly angry whenever someone mentions interrogating her as well for the answers I clearly won't let up.

I trust Dawn completely, probably more than anyone else in the world, and I know that she can take care of herself, but I've honestly couldn't be anymore grateful that she is out of harm's way.

It's pathetic that he thinks he even has a chance, he has absolutely no self-control, and my Princess will never fall for such a weak, disgusting mutt like him. I know her better than that.

I haven't tried to break out of this sorry excuse of a prison yet, for that I would need my gift or my demonic strength, and exposing my kind is never an option.

I also can't take the risk that the moment I bluntly decide to cause trouble they will move on from me and take it all out on my Princess. Better me stuck down here then her.

I've reduced to waiting for the right time when no one will notice that the silver bars in front of my cage are missing, which proves to be easier said than done.

Those fucking guards won't even leave for a bathroom break, don't mortal need those? Then again maybe they have switched shifts, all those wolf mutants look the same to me.

I have to get Dawn out of here and to safety as soon as possible, she is not safe with those mutts and I'll be dead before I let them touch a single blonde hair on her flawless head. We will escape soon, and we will do it without braking our most important rule of all- exposure.

With each passing day I can feel the bottled electricity rushing through my veins, reminding me that I have yet to let my gift free. I haven't let my mind control loose for almost a week, it isn't healthy for any of us to keep stopping out gift from coming out for so long- any much longer and it could become life-threatening.

A shadow moved across my vision- I don't even bother to look up anymore, it's probably another one of those guards again, they just finished doing another round of patrolling to make sure that we're all still here and haven't murdered each other, yet.

As if they could stop me even if they tried, fucking mutts.

The Guardian tattoo above my heart started to tingle, just like it always does when Princess Dawn is near, it's some freaky protector's shit I didn't bother listening to in training.

All I remember is that it's supposed to help me find her if she ever gets kidnapped or attacked, which is convenient, she can also project strong emotions and pains, which I highly doubt I will ever get to experience- Dawn doesn't feel that strong, she hardly ever feels at all.

The footsteps grow closer and the ache in my Guardian marking is getting stronger by the second, my hands start twitching as I try to fight my instincts telling me that Dawn is here, the need to grab her, hold her close to me and destroy anything in my path to make sure that she stays there, safe, is overwhelming. It's physically hurting me to stay put where I am.

That's it, this is my psychotic break, I've obviously gone mad.

Maybe it's my gift warning me that I'm slowly dying, next thing I know I'm gonna be coughing up black blood everywhere. This is just fucking super.

It would make sense though, this is a survival mechanism, my mind is making me hallucinate about the thing I love most of all, in hopes that I would fight to live- let the energy painfully pulsing under my skin free.

"Damien?" Fucking super. I'm hearing voices now too, not just any voice though, her voice. Anyone else's I would have been able to handle, but not her, she is my only weakness.

Sighing tiredly, I ran my fingers through my hair. What the actual fuck is wrong with me? I'm her Guardian, I'm supposed to be the strong one, I'm supposed to be busting us both out of here not lay here, hallucinating about her coming to this dirt hole like some weak minded lunatic.

"Dae, Is that you?" Man, I would give her the whole freaking universe if she asked me to with that voice of hers.

Get your shit together warrior! This is not real, your mind is playing tricks on you. Snap out of it!

"Dae!" I don't know how much longer I can take this torture...

"Damien!" Her voice is full of happiness and relief, I could imagine that beautiful, rare smile playing on those incredibly sexy lips of hers. That special sparkle in her icy blue eyes when she gets things done her way- which is always, nobody can deny her. Those eyes that can bore into your soul and see your deepest, darkest secrets.

The same eyes I have fallen hopelessly in love with all those centuries ago.

I can't take this any longer, those hallucinations are killing me- but they just seem so real...

I sit up and take in the petite figure in front of me, standing in the darkness like she owns it.   
That's my girl.

I am suddenly filled with pride for my little Princess, I taught her everything she knows, and as much as King Lucifer would like to take credit for some of her training and skills, he is hardly ever around, I'm the only one she turns to.

She moved gracefully and silently, not making a single sound. Her light hair seem to glow in the darkness, just like it always did back home. Her Royal Blood tattoo stood out on her creamy white skin, almost identical to mine, and my Guardian instincts were going on overdrive.

My clothes cling to my body with dirt, and black patches of dried blood cover my skin, even though the injury has been healed for quite a while now.  
Walking towards the silver bars, I scanned over Dawn from head to toe, checking for any sign of injuries, and savoring any minute that she is in my presence- luckily they haven't hurt her.   
Lucky for them.

"Dawn what are you doing here? How did you get here, don't you know how dangerous this is? What happened to all the guards? Did they hurt you? I swear to the Dark Lord if-"  
I am probably the worst Royal Guardian in the fucking history of Guardians! What the hell was I thinking letting that mutt take her like that?!

"Damien!" She shouted, but I was so frustrated I hardly even heard her.

"When get a hold of this Alpha mutt I will break all his fingers slowly one by one, then I will claw his eyeballs out with my nails and rip his fucking balls off, I'll shove those down his throat with a silver spoon-"

"Dae I'm fine! Look at me." She said, grabbing my hands in between the bars with hers and held them tightly.

Our hands fit perfectly together like puzzle pieces, my big hands completely swallow her cold delicate ones.

"Look at me Dae, I'd never have any reason to lie to you." Hearing her voice and seeing her small smile was almost enough to calm me down, but I know better, I know we are not safe here. I have to stay alert. I have to keep the princess safe.

I smile at her old nickname for me, I love it when she calls me that, looking in her beautiful pale blue eyes, she used to call me Dae when we were younger and she couldn't pronounce my whole name properly.

"I'm glad they didn't touch you Little One, I would have ripped the lungs out of anyone who did." I said, calling her by her old nickname while squeezing her hands in mine and sending her a small grin, she returned the smile with a heart-melting one of her own.

"Yeah, I figured you would, so I just saved you from getting your hands dirty in mutt-blood." She said, wrinkling her nose in disgust in the most adorable way. Fuck, I have it bad.

"Besides I'm too strong for them to hurt me, you know that." She finished, grinning proudly at me, and I felt my knees getting weaker and insides turn to mush.

"Man, I was actually looking forward to killing one of those annoying twats, those fuckers stink so bad I don't know how they live around themselves." I say, chuckling to myself, slightly disappointed that it hadn't managed to make her laugh. I'll do better next time.

Not caring anymore if anyone sees me, I let go of Dawn's hands for a second, and latching onto two of the bars closest to me. Using my demon strength, I pulled them right out of the floor, along with a few chunks of the ceiling, making dirt rain on our heads from the impact.

Hearing Dawn giggle from my eagerness to destroy anything in our way is purely music to my ears, Dawn only ever laughs when she is truly and undoubtedly feeling happy and safe, a burst of pride bubbles up within me and even God himself wouldn't be able to wipe the huge shit eating grin off my face.

How's that for a next time? Fuck yeah!

After that I am quick to reach out and grab Dawn, crushing her to my chest and wrapping my arms tightly around her; I cherish every second of holding her in my arms and the feeling of her skin on mine.

"I was so worried Little One, don't you dare scare me like that ever again, I almost had a heart attack because of you" I murmured into her neck. Mhmmm... She smells like vanilla.

But you're extremely worth it

"Your heart was never beating in the first place, you moron." her words got muffled in my chest by how close I was holding her.

"I missed you so much Dae..." she whispered, her voice braking in the end. "Promise me you won't ever leave me again. Ever." she said, looking up to meet my eyes while still holding onto my shirt for dear life in her child like hands.

Even though her eyes are dry I know how broken she is right now- I am the only one who have ever seen Dawn this way, vulnerable with all of her guards down, not even her father has seen this rare side of her- the side that hardly ever exists- this is maybe only the second time Dawn have broken down in her life.

"I swear to the fucking Lord that I will never ever again leave you alone or let you out of my fucking sight for a second, alright Little One? I promise on my life that I will never let you go." I say, kissing her forehead and holding even tighter than before, if that's even possible.

The forehead kiss? Yeah, that's my move.

As she buries her head in my chest, I start to trace random patterns on her back to calm her down like I know that it would, and she visibility relaxes in my arms.

Ever since she was a little demon I was the only one who could calm her down, usually by rubbing her back and tracing small patterns, everyone else in the kingdom are too afraid to come near her when she's calm- let alone when she's upset.

Because that's how close we were and that's how much she means to me, she is my whole world and I have made it my life's mission to get her see that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. # Chapter 10 #

** AIDEN: **   
  
  


The freezing cold feeling was seeping all the way through my bones as I rolled around in my bed.

Something is wrong, I could feel the nagging feeling spreading all over my body, consuming my whole being with dread. It's not only about me anymore, I need to take care of Dawn now too. I can't let anything happen to my tiny Luna, not when I've only just found her.

Still mostly asleep, I stretched my arm out to grab Dawn, probing around in the dark without opening my eyes, I have come to the conclusion that Dawn's scent should be a known drug.

It is literally everywhere around me, surrounding me. I feel like I'm drowning in it, but the last thing I want to do is to come up for air. Despite the seeping cold it makes me feel lighter, warmer, like everything would be alright in the end as long as it's around me.

Thanks to my genes, I know my body runs hotter than most, and it takes quite an effort to get me as cold as I feel right now. I know that's not the case for Dawn, she always feels so freezing whenever I hold her.

So if I'm freezing my balls off, I don't even want to imagine how cold she must be at the moment,

Still drunk on my mate's scent, and not quite ready to wake up just yet, I shuffle around the other pillows next to my body- where Dawn was supposed to lay, and felt my heart plunging to the floor when all I find is empty space.

It suddenly became ten times colder.

My eyes immediately snap open, and I have to physically restrain myself from violently shivering, My brain is fully awake in seconds, and my stomach feels like it's dropping lower with every second, worry and panic consume my entire being as my wolf starts to desperately call for his mate.

My eyes franticly scanned around the room, desperate to find any trace of pale blonde hair, my panic level growing higher with every second and suddenly there wasn't enough air in the room.

This is getting nowhere, I have to calm down and look for her in more efficient ways. I can't lose her, not now- not ever.

I tried talking a deep breath, which proved to be a very big mistake, seeing as her smell was still  _everywhere_  in this room.

I have to calm down. For Dawn.

She could just be in the bathroom or something for fuck's sake, get your shit together man.

Still trying to convince myself my mental pep talk was effective, I went over every single detail in my room, again, trying to sense if she was even anywhere close, but her strong smell was too distracting to make anything out of it.

"Dawn? Are you in here?" I asked, walking out through the glass balcony doors. Why the hell are they unlocked?

Stepping outside, I scanned both sides of the balcony. Empty as well.

"Dawn!" I yell out to the distance, causing a large group of birds abandon their trees and fly away from the forest, crying loudly.

Horrible images flash before my eyes as I look out to the darkness.

~

_My enemies driving away in a black van after kidnapping a beautiful girl with light blonde hair, her hands and feet tied behind her back with metal as she lays unmoving in the back seat._

~

_The same beautiful blonde girl, chained by silver cuffs to an old brick wall, dark purple dried blood covers every inch of her fair skin- that looks whiter then usual- along with dark black and blues bruises._

_Her head hung low, dropping from side to side as she seemed unresponsive yet again._

_~_

_The girl's body is full of cuts and bruises and her clothes are ripped and dirty as she sits on a hard and dirty looking mattress inside a prison cell. Heavy footsteps can be heard nearing the prison cage._

_"Here, Eat this you little brat." A buff man come into the cell, carelessly throwing an old bowl of what looked like rotten rice on the floor besides the girl._

_The bowl makes a loud chuck noise when I hits the ground, but the beautiful girl doesn't even finch nor does she look up at the guard who is now glaring daggers at the back of her head. She is still looking down, her soft hair creating a curtain from her and the guard._

_"I'm not hungry." Her voice is emotionless and empty, almost robotic, yet I would still recognize it anywhere- even from a thousand miles away._

_~_

Shaking my head to clear my mind, I focus on the task at hand. I absolutely refuse to give up on her, not when I've only just found her.

Jogging out of the bedroom and making my way down the stairs as quickly as I could, making sure to check inside every door I pass on the way to the ground floor, to keep my mind too busy to conger up anymore images that can make me go insane with worry.

As soon as I reached the first floor, I ran through every room I could think of, growling and cursing creatively, in several languages.

Looking in every corner and moving anything that's not permanently connected to the ground, I checked any place the she could possibly fit her petite body into.

I knew I wasn't thinking rationally by then, but I was well past desperate,

And with each failed attempt to find her, I felt the dread growing stronger in the pit of my stomach, and when I failed to find her in at yet  _another_  room, I felt like throwing up.

I let out a load growl, grabbing the closest object to my hand and crushing it against the wall, as I realize there is no more rooms for me to look at.

" _Dawn!_ " I called, the desperation clear in my voice, as the world started fading around me again.

~

_She was sitting down on the ground, her back leaning on the old brick wall and her right hand hugging her knees tightly to her chest- the beautiful girl with the white-blonde hair._

_She was looking down again, her glamorous hair created as a barrier against the rest of the world, and her left hand was lying to the side of her body as she clinched it in a tight fist, her knuckles turning white from the force and her nails digging into her skin._

_"You're worthless, weak and pathetic! He would never come for you!" A voice yelled as a man came into view, though she remained unresponsive and emotionless, looking straight into the eyes of the muscly man in front of her with her empty too-light icy blue eyes, piercing into his soul and watching his deepest, darkest secrets._

_"He is weak as well, that pathetic mate of yours, leaving you here to suffer while he hides out in his safe castle... Some mate you have." The man said, trying to be brave and looking into her striking blue eyes for as long as he could._

_"He's not my mate, just some delusional Alpha I was unfortunate enough to come across, and I know he won't come for me. All you mortals are the same, that's why I have someone who I can actually count on caring for me. He will be here soon enough to rip you limb from limb."_

_~_

_The girl was sitting on the floor again, on her knees this time. Her beautiful blonde hair shining under the light of the moon from the small bars covered window in her cell, she was looking down to the dirt on the ground, her left hand holding her up while she leaned forward- her right hand in a tight fist besides her._

_Suddenly her head flew up and she grabbed her stomach in obvious pain, her eyes shutting closed as she tilted her head towards the sky._

_She starts coughing violently, bringing her other hand up to cover her mouth as dark purple liquid drops fall from her open palm. Bringing her head closer to her center and bending forward, she enters what looks somewhat similar to a fatal position._

_"No..." she starts, shaking her head "It's too late now... There is nothing left to save anymore."_

_~_

"Wha- Aiden, Aiden! What the fuck is wrong with you man? I swear it's like three in the morning." Michael's tired groaning came as he noisily drudged down the stairs in his boxers.

When he got down the stairs, he wasted no time getting into my personal bubble, grabbing my shoulder and forcibly shaking me out whatever horrible trance I was in, making the images flashing though my mind- fade away into reality.

"Dawn. She's gone." I choked out the only words my mind could process, my eyes still franticly jumping around every object in the room, despite having thoroughly searched it earlier.

"And you checked the house?" Asked Michael unhelpfully.  _Dumbass_.

"Yes. I checked every last corner in this fucking house!" I exhumed, running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

I am a full blooded Alpha male  _freaking_   _werewolf_ , I don't  _do_  helplessness. Though it seems like I don't have much of a choice, seeing as I just don't fucking know, for the life of me, what else is there left for me to do, where else is there to even look? I can't lose her. I just can't. She is my lifeline.

Not when I finally found my will to live.

Michael just nodded, humming tiredly.

"Alright, Pack-house it is then." He said, smacking my arm and grabbing my forearm, he started dragging me out the door, despite looking like he's about to pass out. "Come on, bite size."

This time, I didn't argue.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


In all my years of living here, the path to the Pack-house had never seemed longer. I suppose it didn't help that my mind kept coming up with new, horrible scenarios, each one more gruesome and bloody then the last.

Images were flashing through my brain at an impossible speed, eventually settling on a steady rhythm of about a billion per millisecond. She had only been gone for a few hours and I'm already going insane.

I let out a frustrated growl, swinging my arms and throwing in the air what used to be Liam favorite couch in the game room, then watched as it smashed on the wall and fell apart.

She's not here. She is not in this  _fucking room_. She is not in  _any fucking room_  I search in. I was falling apart too.

I need help. Like professional, fucking medical help from some shrink or something. This seriously can't be healthy.

Pack members started filing downstairs as I made my way back down to the main floor of the Pack-house.

"Damn Aiden, I know you just found your mate and all that, and you're supposed to be humping each other like bunnies. But can you keep it down? Or at least do it at your house man, some of us actually need sleep." Jace mumbled tiredly, coming down from his bedroom upstairs.

"What the actual fuck is all this noise about? Are we under some sort of attack?" Said Liam, walking downstairs three steps behind Jace and looking just as sleepy.

If this were a real attack, we would all be screwed.

Liam's remark was followed closely by a mostly asleep "What the hell man?" From some other pack member who came jogging downstairs in his boxers, glaring at everyone like he was getting paid for it.

By the time I turned to face my Beta, many of our pack warriors were already running in wearing little to nothing and looking around for danger despite looking like the last thing they are ready to do at the moment is fight.

I silently scoffed, some army I lead, I really need to whip them into shape.

How the Fuck am I supposed to find my missing Luna if I cannot even rely on my own warriors?

"Alpha Aiden?"

"What the Hell is going on?"

"Are we under attack?"

"What are our orders Alpha?"

"Who the Fuck just screamed?"

"You assholes better have a good reason to wake me up."

"It's not my fault, I swear!"

"Where's Luna Dawn?"

"Is someone dead?"

I let out the loudest growl I could manage at this ungodly hour, though it seemed to be good enough and managed to leave the room deathly silent.  
"No, we are not under direct attack." I growled out, "It's Luna Dawn, she's gone."

And suddenly, I wasn't the only one growling anymore.  
  


**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**   
  


"Unit 3 and unit 8 are scouting from the west along the perimeter. Unit 5 and unit 6 are to scout from the east. Meeting point for report is at the guard post number nine at the center of the territory. Are you clear on your orders soldiers?"

"Sir, Yes, Sir!"

"I will be joining unit one, unit two and unit nine in the search party covering the heart of the territory, any disturbances you are to report directly to me immediately. This mission is a  _hostage operation_  and your mission status is  _unseen and unforeseen_. We do not know who our enemy is or what they are capable of, but we have the home-base advantage of territory and war location. So be prepared for anything.

"Sir, Yes, Sir!"

Your objective is Lune Dawn, and you are return her to home base unharmed. You  _are_  to engage in fire if provoked, but not  _initialize_  it. Refrain from taking hostages. Are we clear?"

"Sir, Yes, Sir!"

"Anyone who fails to comply with  _any_  of the orders will meet the according consequences." I stopped pacing in front of the  _too-strait_  line of loyal soldiers standing in front of me to take a hard look at them, and finally said, "Any questions soldiers?"

"Permission to speak, Sir?" One of the warriors asked in the cold, loud and clear voice they were all trained to use. I resumed my pacing.

"Permission granted." I barked back, nodding my head at him.

"At what time are we to report back to home-base if the objective was not found, Sir?" He asked, his voice as cold and load as expected.

"At 0600 all units must report to home-base regardless of the success of the mission, if you fail to report as ordered the command will consider you deceased, so don't be late. Any other questions?"

"Sir, No, Sir!"

"Good. All units moving out now!" My voice rang out in the dark clearing loud and clear, just as my solder's had been, as ten perfect rows of soldiers saluted to me in sync and began marching out, each being led by their own unit leader, the commanding officer, to their respective direction according to my orders.

_I will find her. She is here somewhere. I know she is. She has to be._

"We're moving out!" I mentioned for unit one, unit two and unit nine to follow me to where the forest was the thickest.

Liam and Alec serve in unit nine, while Will is from unit one and Matt from unit two, and they are the first to catch up with my long strides into the woods, flanking me from every direction like bodyguards.

I am an Alpha; I do not need any  _fucking bodyguards._

They all seemed to collectively agree to ignore the annoyed glares I am currently directing at each one of those pricks- their eyes avoiding my own by darting all over the place, looking for any sign of movement. Staying alert at all times.

We were entering a clearing, my whole team walking in silence when I felt a slight pull at my mate bond, it was small and if I weren't paying such close attention then I defiantly would have missed it. But it was hope.

"She's close, I can feel it." I announced, looking back at the three units for the first time since I stopped glaring at them at the edge of the woods more the thirty minutes ago.

"In the pack prison entrance?" My beta, Liam, raised his eyebrows at me, "It doesn't make any sense..." he mumbled looking around with a confused expression on his face "how would she even find this place?"

"Maybe Luna Dawn just got lost or something."   
I turned my head to look at Alec, but never stopped walking in the direction of the old hidden trap door. I can make out her scent clearly now. She was defiantly here.

"And accidently stumble into the locked and hidden trap door of the Pack prison?" Liam did not sound very convinced.

"She didn't really strike me as the type to wonder around the woods at night for no reason..." Will mattered quietly to himself, but I still heard him.

"I agree, she always seems to know what she's doing." Matt shrugged, not even bothering to keep quiet.

"Are you two suggesting that she purposely ran away from me? And to the pack prison, no less!" I turned to glare at Will and Matt.

"Whoa there! I didn't say that! I'm just as confused as you are!" Matt quickly spit out, raising his hands up in surrender and looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"Know your place, Soldiers." I growled under my breath, my annoyance getting the better of me.

"Even if she was running away," I let out a growl at that, "why the actual fuck would she come here, of all places?" Liam continued, looking genuinely lost.

Her scent got significantly stronger as I kneeled down to the rusted metal trap door on the ground. The mate bond was pulling me underground towards the door.

I mentioned with my head to a few of my warriors to help me clear away the growth that covered the closed door, as a half-hearted attempt of disguising the entrance of the ugliest side of my pack.

The pack prison was built under the surface beneath the thickest part of the forest my pack's territory has to offer, by my grate-grandfather back when he was the leader, even centuries later, we still haven't replaced it with a new pack prison, simply because the location was convenient.

I remember being so afraid to go even near this part of the woods as a child because of all the horror stories Michael, as my supportive older brother, had told me had happened down in that place all these years ago.

Not that anyone knows about that, except maybe Michael, because it was entirely that fucker's fault. Even as a kid, I cared too much for my Alpha reputation.

By the time most of the old door was visible underneath all the dirt and leaves my hands were covered in small cuts from the twigs' thorns, but I hardly even noticed them, as my mind was occupied by much more pressing matters.

Like the fact that  _all three locks_  that used to hold this door shut were missing, and the six inches thick, pure metal handle they were handing of off was bent from the force probably used to remove them.  
 _What the fuck happened here? Who- What could have possibly done this? What is strong enough to cause this much damage?_

"Where the hell are all the locks?" Liam asked, sounding just as confused as I felt.

"Um, guys? I think I found one. Well part if it anyways." It was Alec turn to look slightly green, as he showed us the metal, thicker than the door's handle, old lock. At least what was left of it,

"Holy shit." Will breathed out.

"Tell me about it," said Alec, still staring wide-eyed at the piece of metal thicker than his fist, "the rest of it is, um, over there- if you guys are interested." Alec mentioned with his head to a few feet from where he was standing.

Will was the first to jog over to see the remains of the other locks.

Those pieces were shattered even smaller than the first one we discovered.

"Men, I want you extremely alert in there; my mate is in that building with whatever the fuck it is that's capable of this." I mentioned to the fat, broken pieces of shattered metal at my feet, "Your Luna's life is on the line here! Are you prepared to do what it takes to get here back?"  
  


**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**   
  


"Are you absolutely certain she's down here?" Liam asked, eyeing the spider webs on the stone surrounding us, "this place gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, I can't see shit down here." Matt complained.

"Dude!" Will grunted as a body bumped into him from behind, Matt just grunted in response.

My units' footsteps made a lot more noise than I would have liked to admit as we made our way down the familiar narrow hallway leading downstairs to the guard's post, following Dawn's scent the whole time.

What worried me the most was the fact that the only scent we were following was hers, there was no traces of another intruder, no rogue, no one else besides her scent and the guards' on duty tonight.

_Did she really run away from me? Am I that bad of a mate?_

The only noise around us was that of our footsteps on the dirty pavement stairs, as we reached the final curve of the dark staircase, and the post guards' station.

My Dawn's scent got much stronger. She was here.  
 _She is close._

"Are these- Holy shit!" Liam exhumed, rushing forward to the two corpses laying carelessly on the floor.

"Fuck!" I muttered, running past him and kneeling besides the fallen guards.

"Guys, you might want to look at this." Called Alec, crouching down right next to me.

He was mentioning to their fatal wound with his hands, careful not to touch the actual bodies.

"Both their necks' have been snapped at the exact same spot; whoever did this is no amateur." Alec said, sounding quite impressed.

"Yeah, no kidding. This was clean, no blood spill, no sign of straggle. This guy clearly knows his shit." I remarked, examining the bodies as Matt checked for a pulse, before quickly shaking his head.

Both dead.

"They never even saw it coming..." Mumbled Will.

"No, they didn't. Which is why we need to be extra careful from now on; this guy is defiantly not playing around." I said, raising from the ground and looking at every last solider in this room, all under my command.

"Yes, sir." A few of them muttered, not quite knowing if I am expecting an answer or not.

Giving them a curt nod, I stepped around the guards laying on the ground and continued leading them through the doorway on the opposite side of the wall. deeper into the heart of the prison.

The hallway got wider as we walked on, three units of lycan solders all hyper-aware of our surroundings, especially after the scene we just witnessed.

I was the one leading the group, following Dawn's scent through the many twists and turns, until I came face to face with the stainless steel doors separating the low-risk prisoners from the high-risk ones.

"Maybe Luna Dawn got lost?" Asked Matt, looking around the place.

"She seems like she knows exactly where she's going to me." Liam sounded less than the impressed as he answered.

"Hey, guys?" Called Alec, "check this out." He picked up two pieces of thick metal and showed it to us.

"Is that-?" Will started.

"Shit, it's the lock." Liam breathed out; though he sounded more impressed than anything else.

"At lease what's left of it, I guess." Remarked Alec.

"That belonged to the high-risk prisoners' door." I said, only now noticing that said door is unlocked.

"Well, we're fucked." Was Liam intelligent response.

"Come on." I said, walking past him and opening the door to high-risk prisoners' cells.

As soon as I opened the heavy, old door, my mate's scent had intensified by what feels like a million, and hit me all at once like a punch in the gut.

She is here, so freaking close and yet I still cannot manage to  _find_  her!

My wolf could feel his mate's presence close to us and her strong scent was driving him insane. He was trying to take control over my body and I can imagine my eyes are probably shifting between grey and black.

"She's here, I can feel it." I growled out.

By then I was practically running, following her scent deeper into the high-risk aria. I could feel her so close to me, yet she was still out of my reach. It felt like torture.

_I have to find her. Now._

Prisoners all rushed to the furthest side of their locked cells' from the hallway, as I was rushing past them, but I couldn't care about them right now.

My mate was somewhere deep in this aria of the prison, along with our most nurtures criminals and traitors. I have to get to her. I have to protect her.

I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my blood and the only thing I could hear for miles is my heart pounding like a deafening drum in my ears.

_What if she is hurt and I won't make it in time to save her?_

_What if I already run out of time?_

_Am I too late?_

_Have already lost her?_

I stop my train of thoughts before my brain could conjure up any more dangerous situations with my white-blonde angel in them.

_I need to fucking find her._

When I finally reached the source of her incredible scent, I found her deep in the arms of  _its_  strong embrace.

 _It's_ as in the odd creature with the coal back eyes that arrived alongside with his mate,  _protecting her_ , his shape and form resembled a human in every respective but you could easily tell he was very far from it by the soulless look in his eyes and his will power stronger then the proudest lion.

I have had the pack's best warriors and strongest trainers come to that thing's cell every day, to try to break its will by numerous ways of torture techniques, to get him to talk.

He came to this place alongside my mate, so it is safe to assume has quite a bit of useful information regarding my gorgeous Luna, and I could not stop myself from wanting to know everything about the one who holds my heart, and my soul.

Needless to say there had been no progress whatsoever, the little prick would just sit there and look at me like he's better that I am.

He even has Alec convinced that, that thing cannot feel pain and that is why it is so unresponsive to our torture techniques. He believes that you would have to be completely numb to not respond to everything we have put him through.

That little freak.

It haven't uttered a single word throughout the whole time we held him captive, and that creature even had the nerve to look bored with us. We have also noticed that even his most serious injuries are healing in a matter of seconds and all that is left behind is this weird black blood. Freaking  _black_.

_So basically we've just been wasting our time for the past few days._

A few silver poles have been thrown aside as if they weight nothing; they also have hand-sized dents in them around the middle as if they have been ripped off their place by  _its_  bare hands along with big chunks of the ceiling.  _How the fuck did_ it _ménage to do that?_

_Was that thing the one who knocked out my guards and took my mate?_

And with each thought I had and each breath  _it_  took I could feel my hate for that creature growing like fire in the pit of my stomach, spreading out a boiling feeling through my veins to my whole body as I watch  _that thing_ holding  _My Mate_.

Her head is buried in its chest as if it would protect her with its life from the whole world if it came down crushing in flames, and it was holding her as if she is the most precious thing in the universe. It doesn't seem like he ever plans to let her go.

Rubbing circles on her lower back with one hand and running his other hand through her beautiful platinum hair as it whispered words too soft for me to heat.

Its eyes were showing so much kindness, love, and pure raw adoration for her it would have looked like they was mates themselves.

My heart gave a painful squeeze at the thought of losing her to  _that thing_.

_Dawn is mine and I will not tolerant any competition. She is my Luna and I will fight for her with everything I have even if it is the last thing I do._

_I fucking loath that lowlife bastard._


	12. # Chapter 11 #

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHAPTER:  
> So, as I had mentioned in the first chapter (I think), time works differently in Hell then it does on earth- so that one year on earth equals to approximately forty years in Hell.   
> Now, this doesn't change much the speed that pure-blood demons grow up and develop in, it just means they count the years a little differently than we do because they live in a realm where there is no sun or moon (to tell apart days and months) or an orbiting planet around a bigger one (to tell apart years), so they have their own little system.   
> I just wanted to explain that first so you don't get confused at the hundred and something year old person acting like he is three (which he technically is).
> 
> ANYWAYS, this is unedited so feel free to point out any typos; it really helps me improve the chapter.   
> Now, enjoy :)

** DAMIEN: ** **F L A S H B A C K**

**_640 years ago- Hell time_ **

**_16 years ago- Earth time_ **   
  
  


_"Those rumors are bogus! This is impossible!"_

_"Could they really be true?"_

_"Haven't you heard? The heir of King Lucifer has finally been born!"_

_"This is all completely outrages! You shouldn't believe such obvious lies."_

_"I heard, the king hired a powerful dark witch to produce him an heir from the ashes of fallen greater demons."_

_"How can this be?"_

_"I heard King Lucifer promised the witch a thousand bars of gold, but ripped her heart right out of her chest the moment the spell was done!"_

_"Well I heard that he kidnapped the spawn of one of his best, most loyal warriors, and claimed him as his own heir."_

Whispers of the many slaves hurrying around the dark corners of King Lucifer's royal palace echoed in the halls, jumping from one ancient wall to another, surrounding a hundred and thirty one years old Damien as he quietly walks with purpose down the wide, lightly dimmed hallway.

Silently scoffing at the farfetched rumors his untrained heightened-senses cannot help but pick up, he simply cannot wait for when he is old enough to be able train all his many abilities- learn how to completely control them so he could tune out useless noises such as these.

Most of the rumors' details were exaggerated, false, but they all got one thing right.

_A new heir to the thrown of hell was born of King Lucifer's blood._

Damien, of course, knew what had truly occurred that day, and how and why, not of the bogus rumors and gossip, but only the true, hard facts.

He also knew that the new heir was born a girl, and was actually an heiress, contour to most of the rumors' speculations, and that the new princess has yet to be named.

Damien knows all this because his father is King Lucifer's best, most trusted warrior, his Second in Command and his Royal Guardian, just as he, himself, too is destined to claim that great honor and be the new Princess's Royal Guardian.

Continuing on his way, Damien unconsciously rubbed the smooth skin on his chest, lightly feeling though his expensive tailored shirt, the place where the Royal Guardian will appear as soon as it is time for him to pledge the Guardian vow to the young princess.

He also knows that an identical mark will appear on her skin as well, linking the two of them together for eternity.

Because of his father's status- one Damien himself inherited from him, he knows many things that no ordinary boy his age would know.

Damien knows that King Lucifer really  _did_  hire a powerful witch, who specialized in the darkest form of magic, and promised her many bars of gold if she gave him what he desired, only to kill her after the deed was done; not immediately after, because dark magic is complicated like that, but a few hours later she was missing a heart and a head, because Damien's father says, witches are complicated like that, too.  
He knows because Damien's father was there, and so he knew what happened first hand.   
She should have known better, in Damien's opinion, only the foolish and the desperate make deals with the Devil.

He knows the heiress had been materialized out of many samples of King Lucifer's DNA and the ashes of the fallen Archangel, Gabriel, who was the King's brother but ironically also died by his hands, back in the great battle of Heaven, and not from the ashes of some greater demon.   
And so, the witch had promised the heiress would look the spit image of her father.  
Damien did not quite know how that would be possible, since the heiress was born a girl; she couldn't look  _exactly_  like King Lucifer, but Damien also knows the witch had made a very convincing argument, back when she was alive, because he was there when the deal was made, and back then he believed her.

Damien knows King Lucifer would never steal another demon's heir to make his own, simply because he is too proud and self-respecting to raise a child, in his own castle, who is not of blue, royal blood- manly,  _his_  royal blood. He is a prejudiced person like that.  
Damien was glad for that fact too, for he did not fancy tying himself to a false heir for eternity.   
Everyone knows only those of King Lucifer's blood are legitimate to ever rule over the empire of Hell.

Damien knows other things too, important things that others of lesser status do not, like the way around the royal palace like the back of his hand, and all the secret tunnels the slaves use to get around the royal estate quicker and out of sight, for he grew up in the proud estate directly across the royal palace, closest to the Red Lake, which separated the palace's estate from the rest of the high-class who live around it, and his father worked the closest with the King, so he brought Damien along with him many times, to prepare him for his fated role as the King's heir's Guardian, even though he was too young to be properly trained.

He knew the slaves and servants often eardrop on his father's conversations with the King, and gossip about it in exaggeration, they also wonder into the King's private chambers to steal from his riches, but none of them are brave enough to follow through with it.

He knew that the princess's nursery had been built long before her arrival, and decorated with more gold than even the dark witch was promised for her service, many tiny dresses of only the finest silk had been especially tailored and placed neatly in her new room by her personal servants, and her caretaker was chosen weeks before the spell had even taken place; because only the best was fitting for the King's new heiress.

All those preparations, and she had only been born today.

Twisting the golden doorknob, which reached only slightly above his nose, Damien stepped into the extravagant room of the new Princess.   
Every corner was decorated with multi-sized golden symbols, representing royal blood, power, and blood purity, while the rest of the room was painted in different shades of a grey ombré.

The room of a true future monarch.

The room was full of everything the new baby princess even  _might_  need, and a big luxurious golden crib had been placed in the center of it.   
The princess's caretaker was not present at that moment, and neither were her many slaves and servants, only two tall figures were standing glued to her crib's side.   
The King and his father were waiting for him.

Standing at the door, for a moment Damien bowed his head to the King respectfully, even though he was facing the other way- towards the princess's crib, and could not see the gesture;  
Only then did he quietly move to stand on the other side of the crib, a respectable distance away, by the only window in the room, it was large, and reached the ridiculously high ceiling, overlooking the palace's grounds and many gardens- the view was the opposite side to the Red Lake, so she wouldn't see the commoners.

The King and his father were standing together, leaning on the side of the baby's crib, and staring intensively at the heiress inside, talking in hushed, rushed voices between themselves.

Damien waited impatiently, until only his father had raised his gaze from the crib, and mentioned for him to come towards the powerful pair.

Damien crossed the room, taking quick, carful steps with his relativelyshort legs, which he would eventually grow into, and silently stood on his toes to peek inside the crib.

She was absolutely tiny, and looked like a doll.

Lying by herself in her ridiculously large golden crib, covered by the most expensive quilts, each one in a different shade of grey and decorated with unique golden design, she looked like a tiny porcelain doll, with tiny hands and tiny fingers and tiny face and the  _tiniest_  nose.

She was also really pale, like her father, and under the very much undersized, expensive golden tiara on her head, her hair was white, just like his, only when Damien leaned closer, he could see that her hair was actually just a really pale yellow, not white.

And she had  _freckles_! Scattered on both her cheeks and the bridge of her nose were a hundred of pale freckles Damien would have surly missed had he not leaned closer.

His eyes jumped from the princess to her father, who had yet to look up from her face, inspecting the King's face and comparing her to him.   
King Lucifer did not have any freckles, he noted with a frown, not even really pale ones like the princess's.   
Maybe the Archangel, Gabriel, had freckles; after all, she was born of him just as she was born of King Lucifer.

He took a moment to silently wonder what other features she took from the dead Archangel.

"She is so  _little_."   
Damien murmured quietly, careful not to disturb the heavy silence in the room.

And she was little,  _really_  little, to Damien at least, and still looked like a doll.

"Well, this  _little_  thing is the embodiment of this whole empire's future. Your future more so than anyone else."  
His father mattered back, perhaps, he too, was afraid to disturb the silence.  
Or maybe the King, who had yet to look up from the little creature sleeping in her huge crib.

Damien really did not have a problem with that fact, he knew that she is his future, and he happily accepted that, she looked more than capable, or at least, she will be.

He might only be a boy of a hundred and thirty one years of age, but he was raised with the knowledge that his life was not his own, and as soon as Hell's new heir would be born, he will pledge his life and loyalty to protect his.   
It was actually all a great honor, to be a Royal Guardian. Many wished for it, but for the bond to work, there could only be one for every royal.

As of that day, there were only two royals who needed protecting.

So no, that was not the part of his father's sentence that bothered him.

"She may be little, but she is not a thing." Damien's voice was still quiet, but just as clear as he addressed his father.

His father just looked at him with a questioning gaze, clearly not even having noticed his words slip up.   
The King still seemed to be unable to hear them.

"You called her a little thing," Damien quietly explained, "She is a little person, not a thing." He broke eye contact with his father first, looking down at her closed eyelids.

Damien stood like a statue, still on his toes, and wondered how such a  _little someone_  could hold the future of so many.

_Little someone... that sounds cute, like her._

Looking at her again, Damien decided that it was a fitting name for her, since she does not have one yet, but too much of a mouthful.

_Little someone... Little... Some... One... Little one..._

Little One. That is a perfect name for the Princess.

Smiling down at her fondly, Damien was the first to ever name her, even if it was only said to himself, silently, just in his heart. She would always be 'Little One' to him.

_His life. His future._

Then the most extraordinary thing happened; the princess opened her eyes, and all thoughts of Gabriel the Archangel and names and tiny things were wiped clean from his mind, because they were such an extraordinary pale freezing  _blue_ , and even though she wasn't looking at him, Damien could already tell that they could pierce though anyone's soul.

She did not cry, or squirm, or make any noise, she just looked peaceful, or impassive, Damien could not tell just yet, just curiously looking up at the eyes identical to his own.

The King was still standing over the crib, just as he had been doing since Damien walked into the room, leaning directly above her head, with a stare just unnerving as hers is.

Eventually, what would later progress into a very short attention span and a hyperactive child, must have kicked in because she lost interest in just staring up at her father, and skimmed her eyes over Damien's father, quickly passing him and stopping on Damien's gaze.

Damien forgot how to breathe for a moment.

Her stare was  _memorizing_ , he was  _memorized_ , completely under her spell, and at the moment, Damien could have sworn she was piercing right through my soul.   
It took him a few minutes to remember that he actually did not have one. He was  _that_  taken by her.

"Say it, Damien."   
Came a rough voice, once again penetrating though the heavy silence that was ever-present in King Lucifer's Royal Palace.   
It took Damien a few beats to tear his eyes away from the Princess's gaze, and recognize the voice as his father's.

Sparing the King a quick glance, who had yet to raise his gaze from his new daughter, since Damien walked into the room, he looked back at his father, unsure of breaking the silence again, as his father had.

As many were, Damien too was fearful of the King's wrath, and rightfully so.

His father mentioned for him to proceed, and really, Damien knew better then to disobey a direct order from his father.   
There was a reason he was the King's favorite.

Or he  _was_  the favorite, at least, seeing as the nameless new princess seems to have landed unexpectedly high on the King's new priority list.

"What's her name?"   
Damien managed to sound confidant and strong, even though his words were spoken quietly.   
The question was directed at King Lucifer, for she was  _his_  heiress, and her name was necessary for the ceremony that would bind them together. The one his father ordered him to perform.

Damien knew just what he needed to do, after all, he had been prepared for this day since the moment he was born. But he still needed the name of the princess, to say the words that would bind them both together.

And the King still was not responding.

It took King Lucifer a few more minutes to respond, and Damien almost started worrying that the King really hadn't heard him, but he knew better than to repeat himself, just in case that he  _did_.

That turned out to be smart thinking on his part, as the King did answer a few minutes later.

"Princess Dawn. For she was made by powers both darkness and light, and the light might try to claim her, but the darkness she was born in will always anchor her home.   
At her core, she will always have more darkness then light, for Gabriel died long before she came, and the blood taken from me to create her was still very much alive. Dawn will be the rightful ruler of Hell."   
King Lucifer's voice was cold, strong and commanding. His word was, very literally, the law.

Dawn is the name fitting of the strong, future leader. But Damien still believed the name  _Little One_  was better suited for the tiny person.

That was okay though, it will be her name, only from him. Damien liked that thought.

Silently, he nodded to the King, who finally glanced up at his daughter's future Royal Guardian, and looked back down at her as soon as Damien started speaking.

"From this night on, I dedicate my life to defend and to protect, with my life and honor, the Royal Princess Dawn Fallen, heiress of Hell, chosen by the great spirits themselves, to rule her unholy land.  
I enter into this pledge, to serve the Princess with all strength and with all my will from this day forward. I shall not swerve in my duty.  
I am the eyes in the night, the silence within the wind. I am the talons through the fire, the shield that guards the Royal Princess of Hell.  
And all these things I do swear upon my honor as a Royal Guardian until my days end.   
This be my vow. This be my life. By Hell I do swear."  
This time, Damien was not afraid to shatter the silence, no matter how heavy, because his words were important and needed to be heard.  
His voice was strong, trying his best to imitate King Lucifer's tone as he said the words and sealed his own fate.

The effect was immediate; Damien's chest started burning right above where his heart should have been, and with his small hand he tagged at his expensive shirt's collar, low enough to see the outlines of black ink appearing on his skin.

He smiled at the burn, because he was the Princess's Royal Guardian now, and he had to show he was strong.

Taking a peak down the crib at the still silent princess, Damien could see the glow of the Royal Mark through the blanket covering her.

King Lucifer gently lifted the quilts in the area where the glowing was the strongest, and exposed the bottom of her tiny left calf, where the ink was embodying itself in her skin.

She did not seem uncomfortable, or hurting, or burning like Damien was, so he tried to gently touch her skin, to make sure she is fine.

_Not even a full ten minutes, and he had already adopted the instincts of a Royal Guardian._

But as soon as his skin came in contact with hers, he could feel his skin burning and blistering, quickly yanking his hand from her, he stared at her worriedly.   
She was really burning up. Even more then he was.

The burns and the blisters on his hand healed within seconds, thanks to his advanced healing powers, yet another power he is too young to learn how to properly control, but Damien still remember the shock and the burning pain.

Though none of it seems to bother the Princess, it was as if she could not even feel it.

And Damien remembers wondering, that if she cannot feel  _this_ , is there anything she can?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_630 years ago- Hell time (10 years after)_ **

**_15 years and 9 months ago- Earth time (3 months after)_ **   
  


"D- D- Deh."

Baby Dawn did not talk yet, the King says that she is too young for that, but she babbles often, and he says that she is a bit too young for that too, but his baby was very smart, so he really was not surprised. Damien found her adorable.

Her hair was thicker, and a few inches longer now, resting under her golden tiara in a complicated looking pale blonde braid- most likely done by her caretaker.  _The little monarch_.

She was sitting by herself on the expensive carpet in her bedroom, surrounded by countless toys, all scattered around her, tossed aside when she lost her interest with them.  
The King never really liked her leaving her room, anyways.

Damien, who was a hundred and forty one years old by now, mind you, and had only started his formal Guardian training recently, was leaning on a large window, his back to the view overlooking the royal castle's grounds, still the only window in Princess Dawn's room, and keeping watch on his charge.

He liked to come and watch over her as often as he could, just to make sure she was being taken care of properly.

From the corner of his vision, he watched her caretaker keeping herself busy on the other side of her room.  
Damien did not trust her one bit.

The caretaker was a strong demon with experience, as she used to take care of some of the other high-class heirs, who was specifically selected by King Lucifer for the Princess.  
Damien still did not trust her.

Then again, he hardly trusted anyone, who was not himself around his princess.

Still, he watched the caretaker out of the corner of his eye, because keeping Princess Dawn safe was his duty and his honor.

"Deh- Deh- Dah!"  
She was babbling again, and Damien found himself smiling down at her fondly before he even noticed his own actions.

Dawn abandoned the half-done black and white puzzle she had been working on for the last few minutes, and Damien noted to himself that she had managed to piece together quite a lot of the tiny pieces with her even smaller fingers.

She was still the tiniest thing he had even seen; and she still looked like a doll to him.

She was playing with her light grey dress now, picking at the golden designs embodied in the silk, and shaking around the hem of the dress with her other fist.

"D- Dah- Deh."  
Dawn was still playing with her puffed up real-life princess dress, but she was looking at him now.

He was still smiling at her like she was his world. And she was.

"Dah- D- Dae!"  
She wasn't raising her voice, she never did, but she was pointing at him now.

Damien started to walk towards her, his legs had grew in about two inches since the day she was born, and now, the golden doorknob to her bedroom was in a direct line to his nose.

"Dae! Dae!"  
Damien had reached her sitting spot by now, carefully stepping between all her many toys, and crouching down to her eye level.

"What is it, little one?" He murmured to her, picking at her tiny fingers- the ones still fisting her tailored dress.   
He never did give up on that name for her.

With her other hand she was still pointing at him, and her tone was getting too forceful to belong to such a tiny someone.

"Dae!"  
Princess Dawn was lifting both her tiny fists up now, towards him.   
She was calling to him.   
She wanted him to pick her up.

Scooping her up in his arms, he straightened his body and tucked hers close him, using the heightened abilities he had only recently started learning how to properly use, to keep them both steady.

Princess Dawn immediately fisted the fabric near the collar of his silk shirt in one tiny fist, and launched a handful of tiny fingers to tangle in his dark locks, as she always did whenever he picked her up.   
Damien had actually started to grow out his hair for a while now, because he knew just how much she liked playing with it.

"Dae!"  
Her mouth was close to his ear, because Damien had a habit of holding her close and hugging her to his body, and even though she never shouted, her voice was in his ear an _d head and_   _heart_ , and it sent warmth pulling at his stomach.

"Dae."  
She was looking into his eyes now,  _piercing into his soul with those freezing pale blue eyes_ , and he realized she was still calling to him.

 _Dae- Dae- Dae-_ Da _mien_  
 _By the name of the unholy lord of Hell._

"Dae."  
She was whispering distractedly now, more engrossed in pulling at his hair than anything else.  
She was calling to him _. Dae. Damien._

Damon breathed out in astonishment, a broad smile spreading on his face; and the warmth in his stomach? It was fire now, burning hotter and brighter than the most scorching pits of Hell.  
She talked! Her first words, and she talked to  _him_!

He could hardly believe it, and he had half a mind thinking that he would not be able to wipe that smile off his face even if he tried _. She was everything._

"Dae?"  
She moved the hand fisting his shirt to hug the side of his neck now, and her small head was resting against his shoulder.   
A new wave of warmth was released from her actions, travelling from top of his head, all the way down to his toes.

"I'm here, little one. I got you."  
Damien whispered back against her hair, kissing the top of her soft white locks, who were actually just a really pale yellow if Damien looked closely enough, were tickling his nose, and he could count all the tiny pale freckles on her even paler cheeks.

She smelled like rain and expensive soap, and Damien decided that  _that_  was his new favorite smell.

He kept holding her in his arms for a while, gently rocking her back and forth while she rested; because he might only be a hundred and forty one years old, and his nose might only barely reach the doorknob to her room, but he was hers and she was his, his charge, his Princess, his life, because he has a special name just for her, and now she has one for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_620 years ago- Hell time (10 years after)_ **

**_15 years and 6 months ago- Earth time (3 months after)_ **   
  


Damien was playing with Princess Dawn in one of the many gardens in the royal palace's estate, he was glad the toddler was let out today, Hell knows the King doesn't like her getting out of the house.

Damien could easy spot now the large window of her room, all the way up on the fifth floor, from where he was standing down in the gardens with the Princess.

He was a hundred and fifty one years old now, and his legs had grown a few inches longer since Dawn had said her first word-  _his name_ \- and had been doing much better in his training, he could control almost all his heightened senses by now.

The fiery glow of the Red Lake distracted Damien from his thoughts, the way that it shined on Dawn's light silky golden dress made her eyes and hair look even lighter, the Royal Mark she shared with him seem more prominent in contrast to the light skin on her bare foot, and those pale freckles Damien liked to count so much, look nonexistent.

She was smiling though, and she did not do that nearly as much as Damien would have liked, so he was just happy to see her enjoying herself.

A few Hellhounds were pacing through the many gardens around them, seeing as King Lucifer controlled them all, he likes to use the gigantic three-headed beasts to guard his palace and his empire.

Dawn was playing with the snake-shaped tail of one of her father's biggest Hellhounds, as he was resting next where she was sitting on the ground.

The Hellhound's heads were resting on the ground, but his ears were up and alert, listing in any case of danger.  
Despite the fact that all the Hellhounds in King Lucifer's castle received orders to guard the Princess-  _Damien was glad for the help, the kid was like a magnet for trouble_ \- this particular one had taken a special interest in her.

It did not look like the beast minded the Princess tagging on his tail, as he dug his lion claws into the ash-like ground.

The Hellhounds were created by King Lucifer himself after the Great War of Heaven, when he first started ruling Hell, and were used by him to guard the borders of his kingdom, as well as his castle; because of their huge size, impressive strength, and their ability to turn any living mortal who looked upon them to stone.

Safe to say, they often came in handy.

Hellhounds are attracted to King Lucifer's power, and so, can only be controlled by him and his selected few- Damien's father among those, and eventually, so will be Damien, himself.

Maybe the Hellhound had taken such a liking to the Princess because it could sense the power she shared with King.

"Dae! Dae, look at this!"  
Princess Dawn called to him, and when she was satisfied that his eyes were on her only-  _let's be honest, when were they not?_  – she averted her gaze back to her lap, where her hands were resting along with the Hellhound's tail.

She pulled at the beast's tail hard enough to get him to notice, and lift one of his three heads to nudge her neck with affection, and almost topple her over from the force of it, then lick the side of her face with his huge tongue, leaving behind half of her face in a slobbery mess.

Damien's eyebrows immediately shot up, and he sent the Princess sitting on the ground a bewildered look, but otherwise remained silent.

Apparently, the Hellhound deemed her silence an acceptable reaction and rested his head back on the ground, next to the other two.

The Hellhound's second action must have surprised Dawn much as it did Damien, for as soon as it registered in her mind, her  _still_  tiny nose crunched up in disgust, and she started shuffling away from the beast's resting body.

"This is disgusting," She muttered, and then turned back to the Hellhound, " _You_  are disgusting." She informed him.

When the beast did not even lift at least one of his heads, she just rolled her eyes at him-  _seriously, where did she even learn to do that?_  - And muttered a last, "My father will hear about this."

Then just focused on wiping her face clear of Hellhound slobber with her small fists.

A while ago, when Damien asked, King Lucifer informed him that,  _yes_ , Princess Dawn really was too young to be talking flawless full sentences at her age, but his daughter was extraordinary, so they really should stop being so surprised every time she does.

" _Dae_ , it won't come off!"  
Just as she did when the only sounds she knew how to make were babbles, Dawn still did not raise her voice.   
The King thought it might be because the loud noises bothered her hypersensitive senses, so she refrained from making them.

But she was calling to Damien now, and he was already on his way before she could even finish her sentence.

"Damien!"

Damien stopped mid-step, as his father's voice pierced though the gardens, calling to him from the back door of the palace: his father was standing by the door, next to the King.   
Damien knew it was time for him to go home for his training.

Before he could even think about making a move to go to his father's side, as he had been taught, he heard soft grunts coming from the little Princess.

Damien turned his gaze back to Dawn, and before he knew it, she was done pushing her small body up with her hands, and settled unsteadily on her feet in a standing position.

Damien stared at her with wide eyes, silenced in absolute shock, as she started to place one wobbly feet in front of the other, waddling in his direction, because there was just  _no way in Hell she was anywhere near old enough to be doing that_.

It took Dawn a few moments, and a few tries, but eventually she reached Damien with arms in the air for him to lift her, by then he was already jogging in her direction with an excited smile, ready to meet her halfway and scoop her in his arms.

"You walked, little one! You  _walked_!"  
He threw he up in his arms, beaming with pride, and she smiled back, because if Damien was excited, then so was she.

That day was forever marked in the mind of King Lucifer of the Damned, who was watching the event unfold from the palace's door with his own Royal Guardian, as the day Dawn walked her first steps in the realm of Hell, and she walked towards Damien.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_480 years ago- Hell time (140 years after)_ **

**_11 years and 6 months ago- Earth time (4 years after)_ **   
  


"A victory consists of a carefully thought out plan, executed perfectly.  
Luck or impulse has nothing to do with it."

King Lucifer's loud, commanding voice echoed in the training room around Damien and Dawn, as he paced around the pair standing on the sparring mat.

The King was the one training the both of them, ever since Princess Dawn became of age to start proper training, he took the responsibility of training Damien from his father, to be able to train both Royal Guardian and his charge together.

Princess Dawn and her Royal Guardian, Damien, had only started training with the King a short while ago, but he had already managed to embed quite a few fighting rules in their minds, for when it came to hand-to-hand combat, from their few previous lessons.

_Always be aware of your environment._

_Spread your legs to shoulder width and bend your knees._

_Establish your balance so that you can stay on your feet._

The King's instructions from all his previous lessons with the pair echoed in both Dawn's and Damien's minds, as they circled each other on the mat; waiting for an opening to attack.

Damien attacked first; he was two hundred and thirty one years old already- his father had told him that he was only  _seven_  years old in earth years when he talked about it once in his training, maybe even almost eight, and that Princess Dawn was only  _four and a half_ ; so he had more time to train than Dawn did, and learn how to completely control all his heightened abilities.

He swung his arm out at her, his movements blurring with his heightened speed, the attack graceful, controlled and precise; but Dawn's bloodline and abilities, albeit less trained, were naturally even more powerful than his were.

She dodged the attack with a speed matching his own, and without pausing a beat, she gracefully dropped to the mat to swipe his legs from under him with her own.

Swiftly jumping out of the way, Damien aimed a kick to her head, so fast no human eye would have even be able to  _see_ ; but Dawn's heightened sight made it seem in slow-motion, and she dodged the blow without any trouble, landing one of her own on his torso, and swiftly jumping back.

_Stay at a distance from your opponent, allowing the distance to shorten only to strike._

King Lucifer's words from the lesson before echoed in both their minds, his tone hard and commanding even inside their heads.

They danced around each other on the mat, dodging and landing blows, each one in the speed most would not be able to see, and the strength most would not be able to survive.  
Dawn had just landed two more hits on his left shoulder, when Damien swiped her legs out from under her.

_Never take your eyes off the enemy._

Without moving their gaze from each other, just like they were taught three lessons ago, both could clearly see from the corner of their eyes, as King Lucifer faintly shook his head at Dawn's fall, and her hands clenching into small fists, in response.

"Don't end up on the ground; it gives the opponent the upper hand of higher ground."   
The King noted, his tone unwavering.  
He was commanding, as he often was, but did not talk loudly, he knew he did not have to, for even the lightest sounds reach Dawn's and Damien's heightened hearing abilities.

Another lesson embedded in their minds.

Damien had hardly any time to feel proud of himself for impressing the King, which in itself, was not as easy feat; when from her spot on the ground, using her heightened speed, Dawn twisted her upper body so that her back was facing the mat, then using her small arms and heightened strength, she launched herself in the air, flipping in midair, so when her front was facing the mat, she delivered a powerful and precise twisted kick to Damien's face, making him lose his balance and stumble back from surprise and the force, then, still in midair, she proceeded to flip the rest of the way, and land gracefully back in a sitting position.

Without stopping her one fluid movement, she used her body's momentum of the flip to swing her leg and sweep Damien's legs out from under him even quicker than her previous attack, making him fall on his back to the mat.

Dawn flipped back on her feet without waiting a beat, landing in her fighting stance, and from the corner of her eye, Dawn could see the left side of her father's mouth twisting up.

"Never underestimate your opponent; it will be your downfall." The King noted to the both of them once again; still, in his command, his voice did not raise, and they both heard him perfectly well.

Another lesson embedded in their minds.

Damien jumped back to his feet after a beat; he too, was proud of the Princess for her move, even if it  _was_  at his own expense.   
He sent her a quick smile to show her that, and she understood,  _of course she did_ , and sent him a light smile back for a moment, before settling back to her focused expression.

They started circling each other again, each one shooting lighting fast blows, and dodging attacks just as fast, she evaded a hard blow to the her shoulder and jumped out of the way of another one, aimed for her leg.

Dawn landed a blow on his stomach, and quickly jumped back, while Damien was responding to her attack with a fast kick to theopen vulnerable spot on her torso, and doing his best not to expose too much of himself in the process, to which she managed to dodge just in time.

_Respond to attacks by aiming for any open, vulnerable spot without exposing too much of yourself._

King Lucifer's voice rang in both their heads, still as strong and commanding, as it was when he taught it to them four lessons ago; the words ringing just as clearly as they did back then.

They continued circling each other, Damien landed one more hit and evaded three more of Dawn's, before her father announced in that ever-commanding voice of his, pacing around the mat they were both still standing on, the words he always did at the beginning and ending of every combat training session.

"Remember, to win any battle, you must commit to the fight, and always keep in mind that you are there to attack, kill, destroy, win."

This particular lesson had already been embedded in their minds since their first training session with the King.

With that, Dawn and Damien went to sit down in the two chairs by the left corner of the overly spacious training room.   
As they already knew what King Lucifer expected of them while in their training sessions, from their previous lessons.

The King followed them to the left corner of the room, where he paced in front of the two sitting children, as he did in every training session, and reviewed the knowledge they would need to torture any kind of soul in the most effective way.

"Dawn, what are the three body parts who are most sensitive to pain in the  _human_  body?"   
King Lucifer's voice boomed in the silent room, staring at his daughter with identical blue eyes to her own.

"The fingertips, the arch of the foot and the knee, father."   
Princess Dawn's voice was just as toneless as her father's; and he nodded in approval of her answer.

"Damien, what weapon is the most efficient in crushing  _any kind_  of bones?"   
The King twisted around to look at Damien as soon as the question had left his mouth.

"The Spiked Ball Mace, King Lucifer."  
Damien did his best to completely control his facial expression, and portray the most bored look he could master, such as was expected of him by the King in those lessons.

"Dawn, list the weaknesses of a  _vampire_." The next question was directed at the Princess.

"Dead man's blood and their hunger, father." She answered; but this time he was hardly satisfied.

"Damien, tell me, what did she  _miss_?"  
King Lucifer asked; turning his glaring eyes back to Damien.

Dawn raised her eyebrows at her father's response, and turned her own pair of identical glaring eyes to Damien as well.

Damien mentally raked his head for a moment, but for the life of him, he could not remember what the King was talking about.

 _My princess did not miss anything,_ Damien thought to himself _, the sun and garlic are a myth made by clueless humans; dead man's blood and the vampire's own hunger are its biggest weaknesses. They learned of that from the king a few lessons ago._

Snapping his eyes to meet Dawn's for a moment, Damien looked back at the King and guessed the answer, hoping it would not come out as a question.

"The weakness is his... partner." Damien had, had to physically battle with himself, to make his answer not sound like a question.

The King did not  _do_  weaknesses, hesitations and uncertainties included.

To Damien's surprise, King Lucifer faintly nodded his head at his answer, and Dawn sent him a quick look of pride at his bullshitting skills.   
 _Of course he wasn't able to fool her, she could read him like an open book._

"A vampire's  _partner_ , is called his beloved," The King clarified, pacing around in front of his prodigies again, "and that is his biggest weakness; every pain inflicted on a vampire's beloved, he feels tenfold." The King paused his pacing for a moment, looking at Dawn and Damien to make sure they are paying attention.

They were,  _of course_  they were, they know what would happen if they did not; so he continued.

"Aside for wolfsbane and silver,  _werewolves_  have the same weakness," He added, "Do you know what those are called?" Pausing again for a minute, and not really waiting for as answer, he continues once more.

"Like vampires, werewolves pair together for life, and all you two need to know about this bond is that it works the same way vampire beloveds do, only the mutts call their partners  _mates_ ; so, both make a very efficient way to break a soul who was either werewolf or vampire back on the surface." Another pause, "Any questions?" The King finally asked.

With Damien's silence and Princess Dawn's nod to his question, all gazes turned to her.

"Yes, I get the concept, but what I can't understand is why they would even bond themselves in the first place to another werewolf or vampire, if the only thing that comes out of it is a weakness." Dawn said, and Damien had to admit that she really had a good point.   
 _Why would anyone even do such a thing?_

"Well Dawn, as you already know, werewolves and vampires might have a higher intelligence level than humans, but they are still not particularly smart." King Lucifer paused to let the pair take that in, as it was the first time he talked to them about werewolves in any of their lessons, before continuing.

" _They_  believe that they do not have a choice in the matter; that  _beloveds_  and  _mates_  were predestined by some  _goddess_  their ancestors made up to explain the cycle of the moon, that their partners were chosen for them long before they were born, and their souls linked together by  _that same moon_." He paused to let us take  _that_  in, because it really did sound like madness talking to the both of them.

"When in reality, they are the ones who first create the bond by marking each other, and linking themselves together, instead of the other way around." The King finished. Looking between Dawn and Damien, to make sure they both understand.   
Once he was satisfied that they did, he continued.

"Now, I want to show you two something I acquired on my business up on the topside two days ago." The King said, and turned to grab an object covered in thick cloth from the table behind him. "Come take a look." He beckoned them to come closer, and with a fleeting glace at one another, Damien and Dawn both got up from their seats, and stepped closer to the object.

"Here, Damien, I want you to demonstrate something." The King said, while uncovering the clothed object, and beckoning Damien to hold out his hand.

Damien obeyed, reaching his hand, palm up, to the King; careful not to touch the object himself, the King placed the bumpy looking white crystal with the strong peculiar scent on the open palm of Damien's hand.

Immediately the smell of burning flesh replaced the previously strong scent of the object, a sizzling noise filled the room, and Damien's face twisted in pain as he dropped the object to the marble floor, took a step back, and with his uninjured hand, reached for Princess Dawn to pull her back with him, while never taking his wide eyes off the strange white crystal.

"In order to remain on the winning side, you must always know your own weaknesses even better than those of your enemy's."   
The King paused to pick up the fallen crystal from the spotless tiles, using the same cloth as a barrier between his hand and the object.

"The humans call this little thing," He mentioned to the fist sized white crystal in his hand, "Salt, and in the past, it could only be found around certain arias up on the surface; but humans have been moving it with them when they travel, so now, it can be found everywhere on the topside of earth."

Dawn and Damien shared unsure glances, and Damien unconsciously pulled her smaller frame lightly closer to his side, with the hand that was still holding her waist from before.

"Why did it burn so much, King Lucifer?"   
Still cradling his injured hand to his chest, and Dawn to his side with the other, Damien's question was directed at the King, who looked at the young pair with knowing eyes.

"Due to its white color, purity, and preservative properties, salt is often used by withes in purifying spells and protection magic; and has long been considered by the humans that impure spirits, such as ghosts and demons, are repelled by it; which is why, they often try use it as both a purifier and a means to repel evil."   
The King's tone of voice made it clear  _exactly_  what he thought about the humans' level of intelligence, even if he did not say so in words.

"Now obviously, most of the humans' superstitions are false," He continued, "However, as you can clearly tell, salt is still very dangerous for many creatures, and demons are one of them; It causes intense burnings, and may even be used to torture us." He said, mentioning to Damien's hand, which was almost completely healed by then.

Making eye contact with each one of his trainees, King Lucifer persisted, "This is the one of the things you must make sure to stay away from up there." He finished, nodding his head upwards, towards the topside. "Is that understood?"

With the both children's understanding nod, King Lucifer hummed in approval.

"Now, Damien, your father had requested your presence back at his estate to continue with your individual Guardian training." The King said, turning around to place the object, the  _salt_ , which was once again wrapped in the same cloth the King originally brought it in, back on the monogamy desk behind him.

At his dismissal, Damien's eyes quickly flickered the Princess standing next to him.   
The last thing he wanted to do at that moment was  _leave_  her.

But  _an order is an order_ , and both children knew better than to disobey; so Damien tightened the hand still holding Dawn around her waist, and brought the other one, who had finished healing a few minutes ago, around the small Princess as well in a short embrace.

Dawn's small hands immediately latched on the silky fabric of Damien's shirt in her tiny fists, and fisted the material covering his torso, as she always did when her held her in his arms- a thing he had made a habit of doing, and buried her head in his embrace.

She was still so tiny, and could almost reach his chest now, Damien noted to himself with a small fond smile, she also still looked like a doll, with her real-life princess dresses and beautiful face, he could not possibly think of anything more perfect than her; those thoughts briefly ran through his mind as kissed the top of her head in yet another move he had started to make an habit of doing even before he was old enough to lift her up in his arms.

Letting her go before the King finished turning back around to face them, even though Damien  _really_  did not want to, he knew displaying such affection was considered a weakness in the eyes of the King, and the last thing Damien wanted to do was provoke  _his_  wrath.

Releasing Dawn and quickly taking a step back, so he would not be tempted to ju _st_   _take her with him and never have to let go_ , Damien sent her one last fleeting, longing look and exited the training room, then the castle's front door, through the way he knew better than the back of his own hand.

Left back at the training with her father, Princess Dawn averted her gaze from the direction she was watching Damien leave, and turned back to look at her father.

"Come with me, Dawn, I would like to show you one more thing I acquired up on the surface."   
The King's voice was calmer now, as it often was when addressing only his daughter, it was almost soothing.

She looked up at him as the King walked closer to stand beside her, running his hand through her quickly lengthening light blonde hair in affection, the locks identical to his own, he settled his hand between her shoulder blades, and guided her up the stairs.

They ascended from the basement floor of the palace, where the training room was located, up the impressively wide marble stoned stairs to the second floor.

They passed though uniquely decorated spacious halls with high ceilings and hanging chandeliers, as well as many slaves and servants, who all averted their gaze to their reflections shining on the floor, cowering away at the sight of the two royals, and passing by even more demon guards employed by the King, in the familiar path to the King's office, where he spends most of his time.

They entered the luxurious room together, the weight of her father's hand still supporting Dawn's back as they passed through the heavy door.

Her father gave her back one last affectionate rub through the fabric of her soft dress, before disconnecting his hand from her and stepping around the big desk in the center of the room.

Dawn followed behind him, one hand unconsciously picking at the golden designs on the hem of her tailored dress as she walked, and stopped to stand in front of his desk, her nose barely high enough but just managing to reach over it.

She would have to stand on her toes to properly see over the desk, Dawn noted with disdain to herself, and she does not  _do_  toe standing.   
Decision made, Dawn stepped a few steps back from the desk, settling once a distance was established between her and the offending object.

Once her father had grabbed a container from one of his desk's drawers, he stepped around said desk again, and settled in front of his daughter.

He had to bend his knees to look at her eye level, since while standing up, the child hardly reached his waist.

Settling on his knees, the King presented the container to his daughter, and opened the lid.  
Immediately a strong sweet smell spread though the room, filling every corner with its rich scent

He stretched out his hand to her, and curious, she took a close look inside.  
They looked like tiny purple balls, small enough to fit in her small fist; some were more oval shaped than round, but they were all the same rich shade of dark purple.   
And although their smell was just as strong as the previous item her father brought back from the topside, unlike the salt, the purple balls smelt  _amazing_.

Dawn did not dare to reach a hand inside to touch them, even though she wanted to, for she remembered what happened to Damien's hand when he touched the last object her father brought home from the surface.

"Do they burn, too?" Dawn asked her father, lifting her head up to look in his eyes; even though he was standing on his knees, he was still taller than her, Dawn thought that was  _really_  unfair.

"No, they do not." He replied, shaking his head, "You are safe to touch them, but they do make a mess."

Dawn picked one of the purple pieces from the container, examining it in her small hand, "It's...  _squishy_." She informed him, not talking her eyes of off the suspicious object. "And dirty." She added when she noticed the purple stain it left on her fingers.

The King just looked down at his only daughter with a small smile, noting once again all of the features that they share.

"The dirt will come off when you wash it," The King supplied, "Just don't put any in your mouth." He warned.

"Why would I put it in my  _mouth_?"   
The question was more curious than anything else.

"They are called berries, and they grow in many different colors up on the surface." Her father explained, "Humans like to eat them, but for us they are poisonous." He paused to look at her, "Do you remember why that is?"

Dawn did; of course she knew. Her father taught her the reason in one of her lessons with Damien; and her memory was flawless, so of course she remembered.   
She took a few moments to answer though, too distracted with moving the purple piece, the  _berry_ , though her fingers; even though the lesson in question flooded into her mind immediately, along with her father's exact words when he taught them.

"Humans were made differently from us, and our bodies were not built in such a way that would allow us to consume human foods; so we could die from it."   
Not lifting her gaze from her picking at the berry, Dawn recited her father's words perfectly from a few weeks ago, when he first mentioned the humans' eating habits.

Looking down at her, King Lucifer could confidently say that he will never stop being surprised, or get used to such a small looking child, using such big words; even if he could easily recognize those words as the exact ones he used, and even if he knew, ever since she was born, that his daughter is truly extraordinary.

"I like their smell," Dawn said, finally looking up from her purple stained hands, "Can I keep them?"

"Yes, of course, I brought them down here for you to keep." Her father nodded his head at the container of berries, "But they won't last very long, and neither will their smell."

"Why? What will happen to them?"   
Worry. Dawn was trying to mimic an emotion; her father could clearly see that, he was the one who taught her she had to, since she could hardly feel any one her own, and how to do so.   
But she was hardly any good at it, at least for now, since she had only started practicing.

The King nodded his head in approval at her efforts, and even though she was not truly worried, it was easy for the king to see that, he still humored her question.

"Berries grow on the surface," He softly explained, "And like everything else that grows up there, they will quickly perish." He nodded at the berry in her hand, "In a few days, it will lose its shape, color and smell, until there will be nothing left of it."

Dawn paused to think about his words for a moment.

"Will I perish, too?" She was now more interested in his answer than the berries.

"No, my Princess, you belong down here, not up on the surface," Her father smiled at her, caressing her soft cheek. "You will continue growing here, until you ripe, and then you will remain the same for the rest of eternity."

"Well, what would happen if I went to the surface, would I perish then?" She asked, her voice childish and her head slightly tilted to the side.

"No, it does not matter to which realm you travel to; you, Dawn, are made of Hell at your core. And you will stay young forever." She nodded at his answer, but still did not seem satisfied.

"Will Damien stay the same, with me?"

"Damien is like you, Dawn; he too is made of Hell at his core. Neither of you will ever perish." Now she was satisfied.

Looking back down at her purple stained hands, Dawn decided that she liked that thought.   
Damien and her, always staying the same, together, forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


**_420 years ago- Hell time (60 years after)_ **

**_10 years and 6 months ago- Earth time (1 year after)_ **

Hellhounds are attracted to power.  
Not the physical kind that can be earned by spending hours in gulling training sessions, but only the kind that runs through your veins, and embodies in your blood; the kind of magical power that can only be gained though inheritance, power passed down the bloodlines for the centuries from parent to child.

Princess Dawn already had that type of power, passed down from the blood of her father and the ashes of her uncle, so a few of the Hellhounds were already starting to serve under her command, and she was only two hundred and twenty years old.

However, her father, the King, did not find that nearly enough satisfying, and was convinced she needed to earn more control over the beasts roaming the empire.   
Therefore, he decided to teach her music.

It is common knowledge around the kingdom that music can be used sooth, as well as control Hellhounds; but only a few knows that it only works with a specific kind of music, and that most types of music only prove to agitate them.   
Which is kind of the opposite of the desired effect.

Damien knows that the only sounds that can sooth a Hellhound are those of the piano and the harp; he knows that because, once again, Damien knows important people, which makes him important too.

This time, Princess Dawn was the one who told him, his best friend and the future monarch of the empire of Hell, and she knows because her father told her, and he was the one who controlled all the Hellhounds in the kingdom.

In one of their lessons, Damien's father told him that even the humans, who live all the way up on the topside, know of the enchanting powers of music on the fierce beasts.  
However, the knowledge that was passed down the generations was hardly accurate, as they tell the tale of a human named Orpheus, who lulled a Hellhound to sleep by playing his lyre,  _which is close enough to a harp, Damien will give them that,_  and by doing so he managed to escape through the gates of Hell back up to the surface.

However, in the eyes of the King, a harp is hardly an instrument fit for a Princess, so she was being taught how to place the piano, instead.

The flawless flow of notes from  _Chopin's Etude in E_  filled every corner of the room.   
Damien was leaning on the stone wall by the corner, directly across from the door on the other side of the room, with a full view of his Princess sitting with her instructor in front of the keys of the brand new piano her father had just acquired for her, that was placed in the center of what was now called the  _piano room_ , her small fingers flying expertly over the keys.

Damien was three hundred and fifty one by then, his body had a faint hint of muscle on it from his daily training sessions with both his father, and the King, his legs had grown longer and he had grown much taller- the golden doorknob to his Princess's room only reached his torso now, and in his last lesson, he was taught how to calculate his age in human years too, he is not really sure when that he will come in handy, but he was hardly trained to ask stupid questions, and that makes him about  _eight_  years of age in human years, maybe even almost nine.

Though it lacked emotion, Dawn's music was fluid, graceful and precise, the melody so enchanting, Damien leaned his head back to the cool wall behind him and closed his eyes, shutting off all of his other senses, and just listened to the beautiful sounds his Princess was producing from the instrument.

Light steps against the marble floors made Damien instinctively open his eyes half way, only enough to suspiciously peek through his lashes at the new arrival to the room, just to make sure it isn't anyone who could harm his charge.   
It turned out to be the King, coming in to check on his daughter's progress.   
Damien was convinced King Lucifer would be impressed with Dawn,  _just as he certainly was_.

Damien caught sight of Dawn's piano instructor's eyes going wild, then flashing back for a moment, too quick for the king to catch, but Damien's eyes were always trained on his Princess, so he caught the fleeting change in them.

He was agitated,  _of course_  he was, Damien noted, it was clear he did not want to be here, teaching King Lucifer's daughter how to play the piano; he did not know she needed to learn the piano in order to control Hellhounds, but he did know that the consequences of making even the smallest slip up with Princess Dawn, would result in a punishment much more painful than the demon could ever imagine, and that the risk outweighed anything else the King could have possibly offered him.

But this demon was the best piano teacher among the noble families of Hell, so naturally, the King came to him with the order to teach his daughter, and he knew better than to disobey.

Spotting the King at the doorway, who had just came back from a week up on the surface, doing business and making deals, the instructor quietly got up, careful not to disturb the fluid music flowing out of the Princess's fingertips, bowing his head as he made his way to stand beside the King, a respectable, and  _safe_ , distance away.

"She is very good."   
The King's eyes were trained on his child, who was still sitting quietly by the piano, and filling the room with her enchanting melody without a pause.

"Yes, your majesty, she is."   
Came the nervous reply of the instructor, who made sure not to meet the eyes of the King under any circumstances.

Damien almost snorted at that, this man was weak, he noted once more, and he would be glad when the time will finally come for the king to  _dispose_  of him.

"She picked it up even faster than we thought," The instructor added when the King showed no intention of speaking once more. "I have never seen anything like it."

Man, Damien could practically  _smell_  the fear rolling off the demon in waves, as he continued his nervous babbling.

"When did you start the lessons?"   
The King cut him off, still not taking his eyes off his daughter.   
He had been gone since before Dawn had started her lessons, and had left her and the instructor in the hands of the guards, with orders to show him progress when he returned.

"Yesterday."   
The instructor breathed out, still seemingly in shock to how a girl who needs two pillows under her seat to reach the piano keys properly, could become a concert pianist after one day of lessons.

The flowing music never stopped as Dawn continued to play flawlessly, even without having the instructor sit next to her,  _Chopin's_ notes flying out effortlessly; and Damien knew, he just  _knew_ , that if anyone could pull off such an impossible feat, it was his Princess, because she was extraordinary like that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come  _on_  Dae, I promise it'll be fine!" Dawn sighed in exasperation, "Father  _just_  got back from his business on the topside, and I want to see what he brought back for me," She said childishly.   
It was easy for Damien to sometimes forget how young she really was, when she continued to amaze everyone around her by being so extraordinary all the time.

Like becoming a concert pianist after one day of lessons.

The gifts from the topside had started as a tradition back when they were toddlers, that every time Dawn's father went up to earth for business, he would bring her back a small trinket from the aria he had travelled to, because apparently,  _every_  landscape on earth looked different, and had different creatures inhabiting it, or so he'd been told.

Damien could understand that Princess Dawn had not seen her father for more than a week, and she was a little kid who missed him, even if she would never admit it, or even full realize it.

Dawn saw him back when he entered the room in the middle of her piano lesson to check on her progress, and was unable to come and talk to him at that moment, because of obvious reasons, but that does not mean she absolutely had to see him the  _moment_  she was out of her lesson.

"You can see him later, Little one," Stressed Damien, "You know he is always busy talking to my father for hours about the deals he made whenever he gets back from the surface."

Damien knew his efforts were in vain, and the little Princess would do whatever she wished in the end, but he really was trying his best to keep her out of trouble.   
He should really know better by now, the little mischief was like a magnet for trouble.

"Look, I am going to see my father now," Dawn looked up at him, to make sure he understood, "The only question is whether or not I'll be going alone."

She glared into Damien's eyes, he caught the look and tilted his head a little to the side. Dawn's chin came up in that stubborn way she had. Damien raised an eyebrow by a millimeter, causing Dawn to look obstinate for a second before angling her head more pointedly, and jutting out her bottom lip, he answered with clenched jaw and narrowed his own eyes at her, but let out a sigh of defeat when she widened her big blue eyes.

Damien shifted his gaze down, and she nodded, smiling in satisfaction. They had just had an entire argument and Dawn had won.

Dark Lord knows he can never refuse her.

"Fine, but when we get in trouble, that's on  _you_." Damien said, even though they both know that it wouldn't be.

It was not the first time he and Dawn had a full argument without any words, and it would defiantly not be the last, for they simply knew each other well enough not to need any. Almost too well.

"Let's just  _go_  already." Dawn grabbed his hand, and dragged him behind her in the countless corridors all the way to the King's study, down on the second floor.

Dawn did not let go of his hand the entire way, because somewhere between that moment and the time when he taught her to walk, it had become a habit for them, to be holding hands wherever they went.

Damien did not mind that one bit,  _why would he?_  Having direct contact with her was always exhilarating for him; it made warmth dance in his stomach and fire ignite in his veins, it was also a sure way to reassure his mind that Dawn was  _here_ ,  _with him_ , where he could always keep her safe.

His Princess's safety still remained him first priority. Although it did kind of did feel like they were walking into the mouth of the lion, because Damien knew for sure how quickly the King could be angered when he was busy.

Damien tightened his hold on her hand, and she squeezed his hand back in reply, assuring him that he should stop worrying so much, and that they are going to be just  _fine_.   
Whenever she was around though, worrying had somehow became his job, so Damien was pretty sure he was entitled.

They stopped just outside the tall office door, and Dawn took half a step closer and raised her hand to knock on the heavy door.

Upon hearing voices passing inside said door, Damien pulled Dawn back to his side with the hand that was still connected to hers, before she could managed to knock and announce their presence.

Wrapping his other hand around her waist and pressing her body tighter to his side, Damien silently pleaded her with his eyes to reconsider, and maybe decide not to get them both in trouble this time, but was met with the stubborn glare of her eyes,  _we will be fine, Dae, trust me_ , they seem to say, and Damien just softly nods back in return, because _of course he trusts her, I would follow you anywhere, you know that._

_"-ten years in his contact are already up; his soul should belong to Hell now-"_

Damien could hear the voices drifting out of the room more clearly now, thanks to his heightened senses who seemed more focused now than they were before.

_"-f this mutt found a loophole in the deal, my King, but we have dealt with others smarted than him befo-"_

Damien froze on the spot as the sound of his father's voice drifted through the King's office door before he can even make a move to unwrap himself from Dawn's frame.   
By the way the little bit in his arms snapped her head from their glaring match to look at the door, Damien was safe to assume she heard it too.

 _"It is different this time, Alastair, and you know that."_  Came King Lucifer's reply through the door.   
Both Damien and Dawn seemed to hold their breath at the sound of his voice.

Dawn's head barely reached Damien's chest, and still cocooned in his arms, she lifted her face to stare up at him, biting her lip, she suddenly looked the one who was worried.   
He could tell she was having second thoughts about interrupting her father's meeting with Damien's.

_"That witch will not be able to protect him forever, my lord."_

He gave Dawn an assuring squeeze,  _I got you_ , he conveyed, and she itched closer to the door, wrapped by only one of his arms now, she walked the few steps left between them and the offending object; but instead of knocking on it, like Damien expected, she pressed her ear to the wood and signaled for him to stay quiet.

 _We are going to get in so much trouble_ ; he glared.  She just gave him a small mischievous smile.

 _So?_  The twinkle in her eyes said, and he knew he was a goner, because really, she hardly smiled as much as he wanted her to, so who was he to stop her now?

He just shook his head at her, his own eyes shining with amusement, and probably adoration too, because by the name of the Dark Lord th _is girl is just everything to him_.

 _You are a menace_ ; he gave her a pointed look, filled with mock irritation.

 _You love me;_  her smug smile said in return.

 _Yeah, I do_ ; he sighed in defeat, Damien rubbed his nose in her hair with affection, and kissed top of her head.   
She just pressed herself closer to his warmth, and that made the side of his lips involuntary twitch up.

_"-ow that is no ordinary witch."_

Too occupied with his charge, Damien missed most of the King's sentence.

" _She is just one witch; she will not be able to hold her own against all of Hell's fury."_

Dawn was back to stealthily pressing her ear against the door, to hear the conversation more clearly, and not wanting to release her from his hold just yet, Damien was forced to join her.

_"She had cheated death more times than I care to count, Alastair, and now she is doing the same for that damn dog-"_

_"We will just have to find our own loophole in that bitch's spell, than."_

_"I hardly have any time for some witch's games Alastair, I have an empire to run."_

With Damien pressed his side to the door, standing behind Dawn with one of his arms still hugging her waist, she was glued to his front.   
Dawn turned her head back to give him a concerned look over her shoulder.

 _Is there a problem with father's deal?_  Her eyes asked him.

 _Don't worry about it, Princess._  He squeezed back.

_"We can assemble a team of demons to-"_

The voices were getting stronger now; closer, Damien realized, and started to tag Dawn back towards the hall.

_"We cannot waste the kingdom's resources so carelessly-"_

The golden doorknob, like the one at the entrance to her own room, reached just under Dawn's nose, and it twisted under the undoubtable weight of the powerful demon from the other side of the door as it swung open, revealing Damien's father and the King in a heated discussion.

The King cut himself off as his eyes landed on his young daughter, then on her only slightly older Guardian, which did not surprise him much, seeing as the boy followed her around everywhere, both who had not managed to get very far in their evade plan, and only stood a few feet away from the door.

"Damien, Princess Dawn," Alastair, Damien's father, addressed them, bowing slightly to the Princess, "What are you doing here?"

Damien bowed slightly to the King, then kept eye contact with his father, as Dawn fiddled with his left hand, which she was holding again, and looked up at her own father.

"I haven't seen you since you left for your business trip, father." Dawn started, addressing her father, "And I just wanted to see you, and if you brought me something back from the surface-"

The King just huffed in annoyance, cutting her off, and stared up at the celling with impatience.

"I do not have time for this, Dawn, we can talk later;" The King looked down at her, only to switch his gaze to Damien's father. "But for now, I am very busy." He mention for Alastair to follow him, and they both passed by the two children, still standing in the hall.

"Little one..." Damien trailed off as he, too, looked down at her emotionless expression. "Come on." He tagged at her wrist to the direction of the King's office, and she moved her gaze from her father's retreating back, to him.

He pulled her inside the office, past the heavy door, and behind the dark monogamy table resting at the center of the room.

"What are you  _doing_?"   
Dawn hissed at him as he started to look around.

"Looking for something interesting, so we can back at your father."   
Damien replied, already poking around the room, and making sure to put back everything in the place where he found it, so the King would not notice.

Even though Dawn did not say anything about it, nor did it show in her expression, Damien already knew, he just  _knew_ , she was hurt by her father brushing her off, after so long without seeing him; and even if she wasn't, because the Dark Lord knows that girl has the emotional capability of a rock, then she should have been, and he was offended on her behalf.

"Come on, Princess. Help me find something."   
He whispered against her ear, because the King had heightened senses too, really good ones too, seeing as Dawn got hers from him after all, and Damien did not know what were their extent, so he figured it was better safe than sorry.

Damien went back to shuffling between books and files, and with a little push, so did Dawn, because it was in his job description to take care of her, and when she was upset, to fix that too.

So with an excited bounce to their step, Dawn and Damien ruffled through her father's drawers, skimming over papers briefly while looking for something interesting.

Dawn was two hundred and twenty years old by then, and Damien told her that that's about  _five_  in human years, because yeah, he knows a lot of stuff like that; so she had already started learning how to read a while ago with her tutor, and Damien would sometimes helped too; but she is still not very good it.   
At least, not in her father's standards.

But apparently, her reading skills  _were_  good enough to find them something interesting.

"Hey Dae, come look at this!" She hissed in his direction, not taking her eyes off the folder that she found in one the drawers of her father's big desk.

A desk reaches just under her chin now, she notes smugly to herself, so she does not have to stand up on her toes to see over it properly, as she did last time she was in her father's office with him. And Princess Dawn does not  _do_  toe standing.

Damien quietly made his way over to her, as she set the folder down on the floor, and sat cross-legged in front of it.

She was still tiny to him, so Damien settled on sitting on his knees behind her back to read the words of the document over her shoulder. And she still looked like a doll.

It was a signed contract. A  _demon_  contract.

A man sold his soul to the fiery pits of Hell for eternity, in exchange for the  _one_  thing that his heart desired, and was given ten years to live to live with it, before the Hellhounds, who may be invisible to humans, but can defiantly tear them apart with their teeth, would come to  _collect_  him, by, well, tearing him apart.

" _Count Vincent_."   
Damien murmured in Dawn's ear, seeing as he was leaning over her shoulder to see the text.   
His hot breath in her ear made warmth settle in her stomach, but Dawn just tried to ignore it.

It was dated back to just over four hundred years ago, she calmly noted to herself, before-

" _Wait!_ " She whispered, nudging his shoulder with her back. "How many years ago is  _that_ ," She pointed to the date with her finger. "In human years?" She asked Damien, because he always knew important things like that.

"Um, hold on," Damien's gaze moved from her hand on the paper to his own, muttering to himself as he calculated the date in his head and counted with his fingers. "About... Ten years and a bit." He finally answered, "I think."

"Well that is reassuring," Dawn sent him a look. "But anyway, they should have collected his soul already, which they didn't, because his file was out on the desk instead of locked in  _that_  cabinet." Dawn motioned with her head to the locked cabinet where he father keeps all the finished deals.   
And Damien decided that they have been breaking into the King's office  _way_  too often if they knew exactly what was in each locked drawer.

"I think," Dawn paused, "That this is the deal my father was talking to your father about." Dawn turned to look over her shoulder at Damien's expression, and rolled her eyes at the lost look he was giving her.

"The complicated deal with the mutt and that Rowena witch or whatever, who found a loophole?" She tried again. When his expression did not change, she sighed exasperatedly at him.

"Do you  _ever_  listen?"   
She asked breathlessly, because Damien had  _still_  refused to move his face from her shoulder, and now it was just so close to her face, that it made her stomach feel funny again. And warm.

She thought she saw Damien's cheeks getting a little pink, but that would be impossible, because Damien did not  _do_  blushing, just like she did not  _do_  toe standing.

He still did not move his head from her shoulder, but he did look down from her gaze now, absentmindedly playing with her fingers at her side.   
He did not really want to tell her, that he usually finds it really had to concentrate on  _anything_  when he has her wrapped around by him, the way that he did when they were standing with their ears to the door.

So he just said nothing, and shrugged his shoulders, because he was a three hundred and fifty one years old demon boy, and he knows that it means he is almost  _nine_  in humans years, because his Princess expects him to know things, so he does, and he could swear on the soul he has trouble remembering he does not have when he is around her, that he does not know what the warmth in her stomach means, or the fire in his veins, but he knows that he only gets them around just this  _one Princess,_ and they make him never want to let go of her hand, one he always seems to be holding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


**_3 years and 4 months ago- Hell time (216 years and 8 months after)_ **

**_1 month ago- Earth time (10 years and 6 months after)_ **

"We can still back out, you know." Damien looked at his charge pleadingly, "If we just head back to the castle now, your father won't be  _that_  mad-"

"But why would we want to do that Dae?" She hummed back distractedly, more focused on placing the wax candles for father got for her from the surface a few years ago, as a part of their little tradition, in the right place around the ancient symbol. "I thought you had nothing better to do anyways."

Damien just glared at her, but she was focused on lighting the candles with her gift, and could not see it, so he turned to glare at them.   
Now that he thinks about it, that had become another habit of his- glaring at things that generally distract her attention from him. Damien found he has a lot of habits, when it comes to his Princess.

"You do not have to come with me, you know." She started, rereading the proper words needed to be said in order to open the portal. "I was the one who wanted to travel to other universes, if you don't want to come-"

"I want to come." He cut her off before she could get any absurd ideas about going  _anywhere_  without him. "Torturing souls is boring, I want to see universes and shit, too." She finally looked at him this time, and he sent her a cheeky grin.

 _I_ want _to make sure you stay safe_ , he thought to himself,  _and I cannot keep you safe if we are universes apart._  
 _Also, someone needs to make sure you actually return home for your crown at some point._

To finalize his decision, Damien picked up the old page Dawn ripped out of one of her father's books in his study, and skimmed over the words in Latin.

He could hardly believe Dawn was actually going through with this.

Dawn carefully took the crumbling page from his hand, and replaced it with her own. They never really grew out of the whole handholding thing, wherever they go.

It did not matter that Dawn was six hundred and sixteen years old, or that he was seven hundred and forty seven; she was still, and will probably always be really small to him, tiny even, Damien supposed that was another thing that had never really changed for him, ether. And she still looked like a doll.

Dawn had started to quietly recite the Latin words; the spell's magic was blowing her hair back, and making the symbol she drew with her dark purple blood on the old table glow.

Damien looked at her, and was hit with a wave of nostalgia, he remembered how, growing up with stories from her father who travelled worlds like it was nobody's business, she had always talked to him about wanting to go around seeing different universes too, just like him.   
Only he probably closed deals wherever he went, buying souls and sending out Hellhounds to collect, as opposed to just traveling for the sake for seeing the landscapes.

He remembered that as soon as she learned of the way in which she was born, and  _yes, Dawn, sorry, but you really never had a mother like the rest of the pure-blood demon kids, you had a powerful- now dead- witch's magic, your father and some powerful person's ashes- it doesn't really matter who's, I promise, all that matters is that you came only from your father._

He was the one who told her that, Damien remembered it well, her father had told him not to mention Gabriel, because he did not want to give her light side even the slightest chance, to turn his daughter away from him, but then she asked if she had any access to some of the dark magic which was such an inseparable part of her birth, and he said that she might, she had smiled in that special, secretive smile of hers and pecked him on the cheek before walking away.

He remembered another thing, too, something that he told her years ago, back when they were still small children, when the golden doorknob to her room only reached his torso, and she could barely see over the height of her father's desk; he told her that he would follow her anywhere, and he meant it.

Turns out she  _could_  tap into that source of dark magic, she had undoubtedly inherited from the dead witch; and now Dawn was almost finished reciting the spell, and Damien felt like he was about to sign his own death warrant; but he looked at her, standing by his side, her small hand clasped in his, and he felt the side of his lips twitch up, because she was definitely worth it.

Dawn finished talking, and the portal opened, blowing Dawn's hair back and making the fire in the candles dance, but she only looked forward and started walking towards it, her hand still holding his as she pulled him along.

He tagged her hand back for a moment, and gave her a meaningful look,  _are you sure about this?_

But she just nodded, and smiled a true smile, the one that existed just for him, and Damien knew he was a goner; then again, he always was when it came to his Princess.

"Are you coming, Dae?" She asked over the blowing energy of the portal, now she was the one tagging on his hand, and looking over her shoulder at him.

"Yeah, of course I am, Little one." He smiled back; saying his last words in the realm of Hell, of what might be, but he really hopes isn't, forever, to his Princess.

Then she turned back around, and walked through the portal, with Damien trailing behind her, but never letting go of her hand, as he passed through the portal as well.

Walking his last steps in the realm of Hell, of what might be, but he really hopes isn't, forever, towards his Princess.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this whole world of images and people and personalities in my head for this story, and it took me a while to convey it to words for you guys, because I really wanted you to see it the way I do.   
> I really hope I managed to show you how even though Dawn (and Damien, too, really) had all those amazing senses and talents, passed down to them from their bloodlines from such an impossibly young age, they were still kids, who were given huge responsibilities and are more attached to each other than is probably healthy, but that's okay because I just love them, and they had all those high expectations from their fathers (Damien's mother is not in the picture- I might talk about her a bit later though) and horrible punishments for disobedience, so they were just trying to do their best in the impossible situation.   
> They were also very isolated- Dawn grew up around guards and Hellhounds with a nanny looking after her and Damien always watching over her since both their fathers are so commonly absent doing business in different realms, to the point where Lucifer (who is always called King Lucifer- even by Damien who spends most of his time at his house because he is always so distant and kind of a stranger despite being around in the same castle for the better part of their lives) is not even present when Dawn says her first words (only the caretaker and Damien are) and only watches from afar (as the outsider to his own so-called family of, well, just his daughter really) as Dawn takes her first steps towards Damien; but on the other hand they were also so close (physically) to such a frightening king, so they only ever really had each other.
> 
> So let me know what you guys think in the comments :)

**Author's Note:**

> Don't like don't read- no hate :)


End file.
